Sports

FIFA’s Hammer Dangles Over Nigeria

Published

7 years ago

August 18, 2018

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

While Ghana has accepted FIFA’s directive to stop the winding up of its Football Association as directed, Nigeria is yet to show sign of coming to terms with directives in order to avoid the hammer of suspension hanging over its head, even as the Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung insists the country must follow the dictates of its law.

FIFA had threatened to ban Ghana and Nigeria from international football unless both governments stopped interfering in the administration of the game in their countries.

FIFA announced it had agreed to work with Ghana “to offer leadership in reforming football administration in Ghana and in Africa,” and to also “to eradicate corruption and malfeasance and other associated criminal conduct from the administration of football in Ghana.” This is as Ghana agreed to FIFA’s dictates.

But Nigeria, which received the same measure of threat following what appears a government sponsored bid to remove the NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, from office, is not bulging even as the August 20 deadline draws dangerously close.

In spite of Acting President Yemi Osinbajo’s efforts when he met Pinnick and Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung, the crisis still lingers.

Reports said Osinbajo directed Dalung to avoid anything that would incur FIFA’s wrath on Nigeria, but the minister has come out to say the acting president never gave such orders. Dalung denied reports that Osinbajo has ‘stamped’ the Pinnick- led NFF board.

Making a case against FIFA, counsel to Chris Giwa, Ardzard Habilla, said FIFA cannot ban Nigeria, saying that the laws of Nigeria must supersede FIFA’s decision

NAN reports that the Giwa board went to court following Amaju Pinnick’s emergence as president in an election conducted on September 30, 2014 in Warri.

The election prevented Giwa, who won an earlier NFF presidential election in Abuja on August 26, 2014, from assuming office.

The Supreme Court in April set aside a 2016 judgment of the Appeal court on the leadership tussle and sent the matter back to a Federal High Court sitting in Jos, which had earlier mandated Giwa to take over as president.

Minister of Sports, whose body language suggests he is rooting for the Giwa faction has said that at no time did Osinbajo approved Pinnick.

“It is a planted story and a fake news. There was no directive from the VP countering the court order. However, the issue is still being handled by the Committee of NFF Elders Stakeholders, therefore, we are hopeful that the parties in the crisis will be able to come to an amicable resolution of the issue. Nevertheless, the status quo remains.”

While football loving Nigerians await Monday August 20, 2018, the onus lies on the sports administrators to do the needful to avert the dangling hammer from falling.

Sports

2026 WAFCON: Super Falcons Qualify with 3–1 Aggregate Win over Benin Republic

Published

1 week ago

October 29, 2025

Eric

Nigeria have qualified for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) following a 3-1 aggregate win over neighbours, Benin Republic.

The Super Falcons drew 1-1 with the Amazons of the Benin Republic in the second leg of the qualifier played on Tuesday in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

But a 0-2 victory in the reverse fixture in Lome, Togo, courtesy of goals from Esther Okoronkwo and Chinwendu Ihezuo, was enough to secure Nigeria’s ticket for the tournament with a 3-1 aggregate win.

Defender Ashleigh Plumptre headed in from a brilliant Okoronkwo corner to give Nigeria the lead at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Ogun. It was the Al-Ittihad star’s first goal for the Super Falcons since switching allegiance from England to Nigeria in 2017.

The visitors drew level in the 61st minute, thanks to a goal from Yasmine Djibril. However, it was too late for the Amazons to stage a fight back as Justin Madugu’s side kept the scoreline the same, booking their seat for the next WAFCON in the Maghreb nation of Morocco.

Nigeria won the last WAFCON after a heroic comeback against hosts Morocco. That trophy was a record-extending 10th title for the Super Falcons. They clinched it in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2016, and 2018.

Next year’s Women’s AFCON is set to take place between March 17 and April 3. The competition will also serve as the qualifier for the 2027 Women’s Wold Cup in Brazil.
Semi-finalists at the WAFCON are guaranteed automatic spots in the tournament. But two more teams can join the contingent via the intercontinental playoffs.

The Super Falcons have participated in all editions of the Women’s World Cup and reached the Round of 16 in 2023 before crashing out to eventual finalists England via penalties.

Sports

Arsenal Wallop Atletico Madrid 4-0 in UCL Game

Published

2 weeks ago

October 22, 2025

Eric

Arsenal took a giant step with a Champions League victory by blowing away Atletico Madrid 4-0 thanks to a devastating second-half broadside at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.

What had been a compelling clash with little between the sides became an Arsenal rout with goals by Gabriel, Gabriel Martinelli and a brace from Viktor Gyokeres leaving Diego Simeone’s side shell-shocked.

Shortly after Julian Alvarez hit the crossbar for the visitors, Gabriel broke the deadlock by heading in a Declan Rice free kick in the 57th minute.

Martinelli finished off a sweeping move seven minutes later and Gyokeres then prodded his first goal of the night via a deflection as Arsenal ran riot, the Swede ending a nine-game scoring drought for club and country. Gyokeres then bundled in his second as Atletico were again unable to deal with a set piece.

Sports

South Africa’s World Cup Dream Suffers Setback As FIFA Wields Big Stick

Published

1 month ago

September 29, 2025

Eric

FIFA has thrown South Africa’s World Cup dream into turmoil after ruling that Bafana Bafana fielded an ineligible player in their March 21 clash against Lesotho.

The disciplinary committee announced on Monday that South Africa must forfeit the match, which they had originally won 2-0, awarding a 3-0 victory to Lesotho.

The punishment stems from the appearance of midfielder Teboho Mokoena, who should have been serving a one-match suspension after picking up two yellow cards earlier in the campaign.

By allowing him to play, the South African Football Association (SAFA) breached Article 19 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code as well as Article 14 of the 2026 World Cup preliminary competition regulations.

In addition to the forfeit, SAFA has been hit with a fine of 10,000 Swiss francs, while Mokoena has been issued with a formal warning.

The ruling is effective immediately, and South Africa’s points tally in Group C has now dropped from 17 to 14, leaving their qualification hopes hanging in the balance.

The impact on the standings is significant. South Africa had been clear leaders, but the deduction now places them level on points with Benin.

Nigeria and Rwanda, just three points behind, suddenly see their chances revived, with two decisive fixtures still to be played in the group. Lesotho, who are officially credited with a 3-0 win, also benefit from the ruling, though their prospects of qualifying remain slim.

SAFA has been given ten days to request a detailed, motivated decision from Fifa, which would later be published on the governing body’s legal website. The association also has the right to appeal the sanction before the FIFA Appeal Committee.

While SAFA has yet to issue a detailed response, officials previously played down the risk of disciplinary action, insisting they were focused on the remaining qualifiers. Rival coaches and observers, however, have already voiced frustration at the delay in delivering the ruling, with Benin coach Gernot Rohr describing the process as “very, very strange.”

For South Africa, the road to the 2026 World Cup is suddenly far more complicated, with little margin for error in their remaining fixtures.