The Nigeria Football Federation has condemned, in strong terms, a report in a national sports paper of Wednesday, 13th January 2016 which detailed imagined ‘poor conditions’ in the camp of the Super Eagles B in Pretoria, South Africa.
The said report had talked of ‘inferior’ NIKE kits being used by the team at the pre-CHAN camp in Pretoria and unsubstantiated ‘distractions here and there,’ all attributed to a nebulous ‘highly placed source’.
NFF’s Assistant Director (Communications), Ademola Olajire said the report was littered with so much falsehood that it was clear the reporter was out to cause disaffection and damage morale in the camp ahead of the 4th African Nations Championship.
“The Super Eagles B delegation is heading to Rwanda on Friday (15th January). This report has come out at this time to demoralize players and officials ahead of the Championship.
“It is a shame that while the NFF is doing everything to keep the team happy and focused, and every stakeholder in Nigeria is wishing the team well, a reporter would be so committed to bringing down morale in the camp.
“Strangely, the reporter and his mysterious source admitted that Amaju Pinnick paid for assistant coach Lusciuto’s medical bills, but said it was not NFF that paid!”
The Super Eagles’ Media Officer, Toyin Ibitoye, toldthenff.com from Pretoria that the report is the handiwork of a detractor and that the reality on ground is far from what was painted by the reporter.
“We don’t know where the story of ‘poor conditions’ is coming from. All the officials in camp have been commending the NFF for arranging for the team to train at such a world –class facility as the High Performance Centre in Pretoria.
“The training kits are top-quality, so also the match jerseys which were brought in by the team administrator. They were kits supplied direct to the Federation by NIKE. The team trained in Abuja for two weeks before heading to Pretoria, and everyone saw the kits they used.
“It is uncharitable and the height of mischief for anyone to describe the kits we are using now as inferior. They are among the best anywhere in the world. The team has played two friendly matches, drawing one and winning the other. We are all in very high spirit and we are praying that the team gets it right in Rwanda in order to make the NFF and Nigeria proud.”
