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Day 10 as Super Falcons continue Sit-in Protest

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SUPER FALCONS

Today makes it 10 days since the Nigeria senior women team started their sit-in-protest at the Agura Hotel, Abuja over the Nigeria Football Federation’s failure to pay them their entitlements for their success in bringing home the African Women Cup of Nations title from Cameroon.

The African champions, who clinched their eighth African title on December 3 after defeating hosts Lionesses of Cameroon, flew into the country’s capital less than 24 hours after the crucial final match, and have remained in the hotel, refusing to leave until they are paid their allowances and bonuses for winning the African Women title.

The entitlements being owed the Super Falcons in form of allowances and bonuses from the competition in Cameroon amounts to US$17,150 per player, plus the USD6,500 as win bonuses for qualifying for the competition, making a total of USD23,650 per player. And the women team have refused to go home until they are paid the total sum.

But The NFF, which receives direct funding from government, is in dire straits after Nigeria slipped into recession in August for the first time in more than a decade. The General Secretary of the football governing body, Mohammed Sanusi, had blamed the current economic situation of the country for the unfortunate incidence, and called for the understanding of the team until the situation improves.

However, Erstwhile Super Falcons coach, Godwin Izilien, had told newsmen that NFF’s non-payment of staff and players did not start now. He explained that the same embarrassment was faced by his team in South Africa in 2004 when they won this same African Women title, and that till date, the Federation still owes him.

“My brother, this non-payment stuff didn’t start today. You will recall that this was the same embarrassment we faced in South Africa when we won this same cup in 2004. The girls refused to board the plane home until they get paid. I had to plead with them to do a rethink. We returned home after four days of protest in South Africa. Today as we speak, I have not been paid by the NFF. In fact, somebody in the Glass House told me my file is missing. I’m still pressing for my pay. I worked hard to bring honour to this country only to be denied my statutory entitlement. I’m appealing to the NFF to please pay me now,” Izilien said.

On December 7th, the Senate had condemned the poor treatment of the Super Falcons, ordering its Committee on Sports to investigate the Ministry of Sports and Youth Development and Nigeria Football Federation over non-payment of stranded Super Falcons’ allowances and match bonuses.

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But when asked about the situation the following day, the Minister of Sports Barr. Solomon Dalung, who left the country together with NFF President to sign a new Nike deal in London, reportedly said that the Federal Government wasn’t expecting the Falcons to win the AWCON title and so were not prepared to pay their allowances and bonuses.

“Don’t forget that nobody even knew the team will emerge victorious.

“If we were confident they will emerge victorious, all the federation would have done is to plan for process of participation and entitlement.

“It is already established in sports tradition, when you win this is what you are entitled to.

“The situation is highly unfortunate and I don’t like it. These girls have given confidence to women who want to embrace sports, so this will go a long way in killing this laudable achievement. It is unfortunate but we will make sure the right thing is done.” he stated.

A “part payment” nevertheless was reportedly made on Monday by the NFF, and the protesting players on Tuesday acknowledged receipt of alert on their account amounting to one hundred thousand Naira (N100,000) each.

However, the Falcons have said the money the football house remitted to their account has done practically nothing towards solving the on-going face-off between the parties.

This appears to be one serious protest that has no specific end date.
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