Chronicle Editor
Lovemore Dube, [email protected]
THE Confederation of African Football yesterday announced on its X handle that it was delisting the Libya versus Nigeria match due to the ill-treatment of the West Africans on Monday.
Nigeria were forced to spend 14 hours without being attended to by officials of the host national association for their Afcon match that was due to be played last night.
Yesterday, the Nigerian House of Representatives debated the ill-treatment of the Eagles by Libya.
The incident exposed the so called “mind games”, which are contrary to the tenets of Fair Play.
Nigeria’s woes started when they were about to land in Benghazi when a call was made for the team to fly to a small airport in another part of the country, which was not suitable for the kind of plane they were flying.
In the aftermath of the long wait to be sorted out, Nigeria eventually decided to fly back, but permission to fly and refuel was denied.
The first leg took place in Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo in Nigeria on Friday and the West Africans won 1-0.
On Monday, the Confederation of African Football (Caf) according to CNN, issued a statement noting the governing body had been in touch with both national teams and “had been informed that the Nigerian National Football Team (“Super Eagles”) and their technical team were stranded in disturbing conditions for several hours at an airport that they were allegedly instructed to land by the Libyan authorities.”
Caf referred the matter to its disciplinary board for appropriate action.
It promised that action would be taken if the Libyans’ actions had violated statutes and regulations.
Nigeria alleged that they were without phone connection, food or drink.
Libya last week accused Nigeria of rough treatment in Uyo but have denied avenging their alleged poor treatment.
It is not the first time teams have complained of inhumane or unsporting treatment. The major culprits are in North and West Africa.
There have been a few isolated incidents in the eastern part of the continent.
Highlanders were treated to some cat and mouse games in Seychelles in 2000 when they faced St Michel. They were given a pitch with over grown grass.
For evening training they kept on switching off the lights making it difficult to travel.
In 2003, while enroute to Reunion, they were told the plane to the Oceania country was leaving yet the gates remained opened for over an hour.
Highlanders had won four consecutive championships and hopes were high they would put up a good show in the tournament after three years of trying.
Bosso drew 1-1 with Esperance and were booted out of the tournament after being thumped 4-0 away.
Earlier in 2001, Bosso while in Tanzania had a band playing at their hotel all night.
Stories have been told of hotel room pillows being sprayed with some powder to make players groggy.
It is also common for teams playing in North or West African countries to have lasers directed at the eyes of goalkeepers and other key players.
There have been stories of football kits missing at airports. This has forced clubs and national teams to order players to carry boots, stockings, sheen pads and gloves for both matches and training. Deflated balls are also carried as hand luggage.
Another trick is dietary needs where visiting teams can be restricted to foods that they are not comfortable with.
Dynamos players among them Memory Mucherahowa were once assaulted in the tunnel leading from the dressing room to the stadium at Asec Mimosa’s Stadium in 1998 in the Champions League.
On July 11, 1997 former Herald Senior Sports Editor, Robson Sharuko accompanied the Warriors to Accra, Ghana. He came close to being deported and was even forced to go and retract his story on that country’s radio station, which he vehemently refused.
The pitch was not suitable for football and the hosts wanted to dupe the Warriors and make them believe that the facility was probably the best of what was available.
Sharuko was unflinching and the Warriors who did not have proper final touches ahead of the match lost 2-1.
Online Reporter