Izuchukwu Okosi
The Nigeria Football Federation have heaped plaudits on Nigeria’s Charge d’Affaires at the Nigeria High Commission in Pretoria, Alexander Tope Ajayi but took a swipe at the South Africa Football Association {SAFA} for the treatment meted to the team in the aftermath of Nigeria’s qualification to the women’s football tournament in Paris.
Nigeria overcame the threat of South Africa’s Bayana Bayana and booked their tcket to the games – the first in 16 years – since their last appearance in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe Super Falcons dug deep to ensure that Nigeria’s flag will be hoisted at the Games in Paris after a 1-0 aggregate win over the Bayana Bayana as the retuen leg ended in a scorelless draw.
Most of the players and Coach Randy Waldrum left for their different bases direct from Johannesburg while eight players and the other team officials flew back to Lagos on Wednesday night aboard a South African Airways flight.
NFF’s Director of Competitions, Ruth David in a release made available to Prime Business Africa revealed that South African Football Association authorities abandoned the Super Falcons immediately after Tunisian referee Dorsaf Ganouati’s final whistle confirmed that Nigeria, and not South Africa, would be joining Brazil, Spain and Japan in Group C of this year’s Olympic Tournament.
“SAFA officials made it clear that we were thenceforth on our own. They said the bus would not move us to anywhere again, that their responsibilities ended with the final whistle. They only took us back to the hotel, and no longer detailed security personnel for the delegation.
“We must commend the Charge d’Affaires in the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria, Mr. Alexander Tope Ajayi for all his efforts. He made the team feel comfortable and at home right from our arrival, organized dinner for the team and mobilized and provided transport for Nigerians based in Pretoria to come to the stadium and support the team. He also organized transport and saw the team off to the airport on departure.”
Rasheedat Ajibade’s well-taken penalty separated the two leading African women teams over both legs and sent the Falcons to France, while the Banyana will miss a third Olympics after their only previous appearance in London 12 years ago.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
