NIGERIA IN INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL FRIENDLY SCAM

NFF President, Aminu Maigari

Nigeria versus Guatemala match just like the widely promoted OBAMA FEDERATION CUP tourney in USA are afterall a scam. Checks by this reporter has shown graphically that these events were planned in the imagination of the promoters without following laid out procedures for such games in the United States of America where they are to be played.

It is so authoritative that there is no agreement in place as of yet to play the Guatemalan game on the much advertised 9^th February, 2011. Neither is there any room for the Obama Federation Cup tourney. So the question is, who is deceiving the Nigerian nation in these circumstances?

This reporter contacted the Guatemalan Football FA this weekend and nothing has been arranged or agreed to as of yet. Also, in order for friendly matches to take place in the US, the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) would have to approve the match with other logistics, coordination, planning, hotel, insurance, security, stadium allocation and all before an agreement is reached by both countries.
Also, there is the issue of a match appearance fee which the organisers would have to pay both Nigeria and Guatemala before the game is played. Based on what our sources in the Guatemalan FA said, that has not been discussed yet.

Although, “we won't mind playing Nigeria, but all issues have to be sorted out first before the game takes place. We would need assurances that Nigeria would show if they really want to play the match in Miami. The history of Nigeria not honoring friendly matches in the past is also a factor that will determine whether they are serious about this game or not.”

When we reached the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) on phone Friday, the official who refused to be named said, “here, we have processes that needed to be put in place before such matches are played. The way it is, you cannot definitely play these matches in view of the time constraints. We need to confirm and approve of such matches before the match promoters can even go to town. Now, by this, the promoters have breached our rules because you are already in the public domain without getting approval. Surely that match can’t go on in the United States.”

According to the USSF website, “For all international matches and international tournaments, the Federation approval is required. No public announcement of any international match or international tournament may be made until the Federation grants written approval for the match or tournament. If a Promoter conducts any advertising or makes any public announcement before written permission has been granted by the Federation, the Federation may discipline the promoter, either by fining the promoter a minimum of $1,000 for each incident, by denying approval of the match or tournament, or by levying any other penalty that the Federation feels is just and necessary.”  

For an international match or tournament application must be submitted no later than thirty (30) days before the date of the intended match by submitting a completed application form with an application fee of $75.00, signed hosting agreement and a copy of the rules for the match or tournament.

None of these procedures has been put in place. Therefore, it is clear cut that these two games are definitely not going to be played as the Guatemalan FA neither the Obama Cup can hold in the USA in view of the above;

As a further show that some people are deceiving Nigerians with the promotion of these two games is that, even if like the fire brigade approach known with Nigerians, the application is submitted to the USSF, they will only give conditional approval and “is not finally approved until the Federation has received confirmation from FIFA that it deems the tournament rules acceptable.

The USSF provision also breached by the Nigerian versus Guatemala match involves that where she provided that, “Neither Promoter nor any other private individual shall use the Federation’s name for speculative or promotional purposes.”

Babatunde Epoyun is the FIFA agent credited with organising the Guatemala match while another FIFA agent, Pius Oleh, is also credited by the Nigerian FA with the Obama Federation Cup tourney in Detroit also scheduled for later in the month.

A visit to Epoyun’s website http://soccereventsusa.com/about.html does not even have the Nigerian match on his event list rather, he had a botched match as the only credential he can parade of the Nigerian Olympic team.