Nigeria boycotts AFCON 2025 qualifier in Libya over ‘inhumane treatment’ | Football News | The Round Table Nigeria’s football team will be flown advocate from Libya without playing their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match subsequent their accused “inhumane treatment” in an organize nation, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has said.
This also trended:
The team have been publicised at an abandoned airport in Libya for more than 17 hours since their chartered flight landed on Sunday, according to Nigeria’s captain, William Troost-Ekong.
The NFF is now making arrangements to fly them uphold to Nigeria before their match against Libya scheduled for Tuesday.
“The players have resolved not to play the match any longer as NFF officials are making plans to fly the team support home,” NFF spokesman Ademola Olajire disclosed on Monday.
The team landed at Al Abraq International Airport on Sunday night and were meant to travel by road to the match venue in Benina, south of the Libyan capital, Tripoli.
Recommended Videos:
Troost-Ekong announced the team will not play the game and they will not make a three-hour bus ride from Al-Abraq to Benina for safety reasons.
“As the team captain together with the team we have decided that we will NOT play this game,” he wrote in a series of social media posts describing the team’s stay at the airport.
“Let them have the points,” he added, indicating that his team may lose points if the fixture is considered a forfeit by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Troost-Ekong reported the team’s aircraft was diverted while descending after the Libyan government claim rescinded their concured landing in Benghazi for “no reason”.
This also trended:
The Super Eagles captain posted photos of his teammates sleeping on seats in the deserted airport lounge.
“They’ve locked the airport gates and left us without phone connection, food or drink – all to play mind games,” he wrote.
“I have veteran glut before playing away in Africa but this is disgraceful behaviour.”
12+ hours in an abandoned airport in Lybia after our plane was diverted whilst descending. Lybian government rescinded our agreed landing in Benghazi with no reason. They’ve locked the airport gates and left us without phone connection, food or drink. All to play mind games.
— William Troost-Ekong (M.O.N) (@WTroostEkong) October 14, 2024
The NFF has lodged a formal complaint with the CAF, the regional football body.
The Nigerian embassy in Libya allegedly cannot intervene because it would want permission to do so from the Libyan government.
Former African footballer of the year Victor Ikpeba, who accompanied the team to Libya, has recommended stiff sanctions against Libya and advocated the decision to blame the match.
“If CAF know their job, Libya ought to be banned from international football,” he informed the AFP news agency.
“This is a high-risk country, and one really wonders who concured for Libya to be playing their games at home.
“I played for the Super Eagles for 10 years, and I never ingenious what I have in Libya in the most recent hours.”
Recommended Videos:
“The team are not safe. Those of us travelling with them are also not safe,” he added.
“We were locked up in an abandoned airport for more than 10 hours like hostages.”
On Friday, Nigeria overcome Libya 1-0 at home in the southern city of Uyo.
They lead Group D with seven points from three matches while Libya are bottom of the standings on one point.
Regards to Al Jazeera
Category: World-News
Tag: Nigeria boycotts AFCON 2025 qualifier in Libya over inhumane treatment Football News The Round Table
Written by Author
Published 10/14/2024