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Nigerian Golden Eaglets Denied Entry Into Gabon Ahead Of U-17 Championship Qualifiers
http://www.africaeagle.com/2014/09/nigerian-golden-eaglets-denied-entry.html
Nigeria's Golden Eaglets were denied entry by Gabonese authorities into their country ahead of this weekend's 2015 African Under-17 Championship qualifier at the Stade Augustin Monedan de Sibang in Libreville.
The under-17s of Nigeria had travelled into the capital of the Benin Republic by road to catch a flight to Libreville since the Gabonese authorities had cancelled all flights bound to their country from Lagos.
The flight to Libreville from Cotonou was via Lome in Togo, but unfortunately the Nigerian under-17s were forced to disembark the Gabon-bound ASKY Airline in Lome.
It was learned that the Nigerian contingent was informed in Lome that the Gabonese authorities had instructed that the flight carrying the Golden Eaglets be offloaded of passengers with their luggage.
All 18 players and six officials were shocked by the treatment meted out to them.
According to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), a protest letter has been written to Caf following the development.
“On getting to Lome, our delegation members were disembarked and their luggage brought out of the aircraft. They were told that they would no longer be flown to Libreville on the orders of Gabonese Authorities.
“We strongly protest this harsh, unkind and unfair treatment of players below the age of 17, who have had to go through this arduous and tiring journey only to further their career in football. We are very much aware that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has stated clearly that football matches should not take place in only three countries, namely Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, as a result of the Ebola Virus Disease pandemic.
“Our players have taken serious precautions and even have Ebola-free Medical Certificates. The Nigeria Football Federation is sorely disappointed by this attitude of Gabonese authorities and we implore Caf to come into this matter and determine the issue of the qualifying fixture,” the letter from the NFF to Caf read.
The intervention of Caf has now led to the trip of the Eaglets being scheduled for Saturday while the match has been moved by a day to Sunday.
However, the Nigerians still face the hitch of securing a fight into Libreville since the ASKY Airline flight had been planned.
"The trip has now been moved to Saturday as departure from Lome after our correspondence with Caf. The match will now be held on Sunday but the trouble is catching a flight tomorrow (Saturday). If the players aren't airlifted then Caf will have to take a decision in Nigeria's favour since we made this clear in our correspondence to them," spokesman of the NFF, Ademola Olajire said.
Source: SuperSports
The under-17s of Nigeria had travelled into the capital of the Benin Republic by road to catch a flight to Libreville since the Gabonese authorities had cancelled all flights bound to their country from Lagos.
The flight to Libreville from Cotonou was via Lome in Togo, but unfortunately the Nigerian under-17s were forced to disembark the Gabon-bound ASKY Airline in Lome.
It was learned that the Nigerian contingent was informed in Lome that the Gabonese authorities had instructed that the flight carrying the Golden Eaglets be offloaded of passengers with their luggage.
All 18 players and six officials were shocked by the treatment meted out to them.
According to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), a protest letter has been written to Caf following the development.
“On getting to Lome, our delegation members were disembarked and their luggage brought out of the aircraft. They were told that they would no longer be flown to Libreville on the orders of Gabonese Authorities.
“We strongly protest this harsh, unkind and unfair treatment of players below the age of 17, who have had to go through this arduous and tiring journey only to further their career in football. We are very much aware that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has stated clearly that football matches should not take place in only three countries, namely Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, as a result of the Ebola Virus Disease pandemic.
“Our players have taken serious precautions and even have Ebola-free Medical Certificates. The Nigeria Football Federation is sorely disappointed by this attitude of Gabonese authorities and we implore Caf to come into this matter and determine the issue of the qualifying fixture,” the letter from the NFF to Caf read.
The intervention of Caf has now led to the trip of the Eaglets being scheduled for Saturday while the match has been moved by a day to Sunday.
However, the Nigerians still face the hitch of securing a fight into Libreville since the ASKY Airline flight had been planned.
"The trip has now been moved to Saturday as departure from Lome after our correspondence with Caf. The match will now be held on Sunday but the trouble is catching a flight tomorrow (Saturday). If the players aren't airlifted then Caf will have to take a decision in Nigeria's favour since we made this clear in our correspondence to them," spokesman of the NFF, Ademola Olajire said.
Source: SuperSports
