The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has vowed to sanction football agents and players whose attitude may lead to deteriorating performance of the national teams.
This is contained in a communique released after the Federation Executive Members meeting in Abuja on Monday.
Following ouster of Nigeria U23 national team from CAF U23 AFCON and 2024 Olympic Games as well as Super Eagles home loss to Guinea Bissau in the Match-day 3 of the CAF 2023 African Nations Cup qualifier, the federation on Monday read the riot act to some agents and footballers who through their actions contributed to the dwindling performance of the national teams.
The communique reads in part, “Genuinely disturbed by the vexed issue of agents and football merchants around the various National Teams and their debilitating effects on the performance of the teams over the past few years, the Board vowed to henceforth, mete out stiff sanctions to whoever is caught aiding or abetting, dealing, perpetrating or perpetuating the ignoble activities of these nefarious individuals no matter their roles, status or pedigree.
It added, “The Board expressed distaste with recent results of the Super Eagles and the U23 Boys, and fully endorsed the NFF President’s stated position that the Federation will never beg any player to wear the nation’s colours. It added that whoever is not motivated for one reason or the other to represent Nigeria should always be bold enough to state this at the point of invitation. Any perceived lackadaisical attitude by any player wearing Nigeria’s colours at international level will no longer be treated with kid gloves.”
