THE Confederation of African Football (CAF) has described the experience of Nigeria’s national senior men’s football team, the Super Eagles, at an airport in Libya as disturbing and unacceptable.
The ICIR reported how the Super Eagles chartered ValueJet aircraft from Nigeria and was expected to touch down at the Benghazi Airport on Sunday but was diverted to Al Abraq Airport.
The team was in Libya for the reverse match of the Africa Nations Cup qualifier. It had won the first leg in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital on Friday, October 10.
Moving from Al Abraq Airport would make the team travel by road for three hours before reaching Benghazi where the match would be played.
Libya has faced much insecurity over the past years, and many Nigerians believe several of its communities remain unsafe, especially for players of the Supers Eagles calibre.
The CAF, in a statement on Monday, October 14, said it has been in contact with the Libyan and Nigerian authorities after it was informed that the team and its technical team “were stranded in disturbing conditions for several hours at an airport that they were allegedly instructed to land at by the Libyan authorities.
“The matter has been referred to the CAF Disciplinary Board for investigation, and appropriate action will be taken against those who violated the CAF Statutes and Regulations,” CAF stated.
The ICIR reported that the Super Eagles agreed to boycott the match after the humiliation they suffered.
The ICIR reported that no official of the Libya Football Federation welcomed the players and their gaffers at the airport where they were asked to land.
The development might not be unconnected with the incident that happened when the Libyan football team visited Nigeria last week to play the first leg of the qualifier.
On Tuesday, October 8, after landing in Uyo, the Libyan team voiced its dissatisfaction, alleging mistreatment by the NFF.
It complained that the NFF treated its members badly by taking them through a long, tortuous journey by road from the Port Harcourt International Airport to Uvo in a vehicle without air conditioning.
According to reports, Libya’s national team captain, Faisal Al-Badri, publicly criticised their treatment upon arrival in Nigeria, stating that Nigerian officials had hindered their smooth entry into the country.
However, the NFF refuted the claims, insisting that the Libyan Football Federation created chaos for its own team.
The Super Eagles defeated the Libyan Mediterranean Knights 1:0 at the Uyo Stadium on Friday, October 11, and hoped to be victorious again in the oil-rich North African nation.
Reacting to the crisis faced by the Super Eagles on Monday, Nigeria’s minister of sport, John Ewan Enoh, has said the players’ safety was the priority of the Nigerian government and not the African Nations Cup qualifier.
Enoh said the government would ensure the players’ safety despite the desire of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) that the match go on as scheduled.
A reporter with the ICIR
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