Super Falcons Seize Cup

SUPER FALCONS SEIZE 2016 AWCON TROPHY, DEMAND N238M DEBT FROM NFF
Despite pleas from the General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Mohammed Sanusi, the victorious Super Falcons players yesterday revealed that they will not release the trophy they won at the recently- concluded CAF African Women Cup of Nations in Cameroon to the federation until they are paid all their allowances and bonuses.
The players, who calculated the debt owed to them by the NFF to amount to a whopping N238.05 million, claimed that the debt the federation owed each of the 23 players excluding the officials in allowances and match bonuses since the team started camping for the tournament amounted to $25,000 (about N11.25 million).
The players who accused the NFF of negligence, regretted that rather than utilize their fund on the national teams, the NFF leadership has shown their selfishness when they reportedly hired a chartered flight for N40m to watch them play with empty stomach against Cameroon in the AWCON final match.
Although NFF has pledged to pay the players, they (players) however, insisted that they will not only remain in their hotel camp in Abuja until NFF and the Federal Government met their demands, but will not release the trophy until they received alerts of the payment, stressing that they can no longer be deceived by the rhetoric of the federation.
The AUTHORITY check at the teams Agura Hotel camp in Abuja yesterday revealed some of the players hanging out and chilling with bottles of wine while some were either in their hotel rooms or gone to hospital to treat their injuries.
“I don’t want to talk because even you the journalists know the situation on ground more than us. All I can tell you is that we are not leaving this hotel until we get alert. We are not also releasing the trophy until our demands are met.
“They can no longer continue to deceive us with the excuse of no money all the time. The authorities owe each of about $25,000 arrears of match bonuses and allowances. It is enough and we are waiting for the federal government to intervene in this matter,” one of the players told our reporter.
Meanwhile, NFF has pledged to pay the players and officials all their entitlements for winning the trophy, craving the understanding of the team that the money is not readily available at the moment.
General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, who met with the players and officials on Tuesday, noted that the federation is not happy owing players and coaches, blaming present severe economic challenges as reasons for the accumulated debt.