With Adebayo Olodan
The Super Falcons with eight African Women Nations Cup title and
consistent qualification for the Women World Cup remains arguably the
most successful national football team of Nigeria.
Despite the relative success of the team one wonders why the girls
have been treated endlessly with so much disdain.
Unlike their male compatriots, the Super Eagles who enjoy ‘royal’
treatment from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and other
stakeholders, the Super Falcons have been subjected to second best
treatment each time they represent their father’s land.
During preparation for matches, our girls are sometimes lodged in
hostels, other less equipped facilities or at best 3-star hotel. They
also train under harsh condition and more worryingly is the fact that
they are owed backlog of allowances and bonuses. This is despite
being allocated little fraction when compared with the match bonus and
allowance earned per match by their male counterparts. There is hardly
any tournament attended by the Super Falcons that they were not owed
match bonus and allowance by the NFF. Under the Amaju Pinnick-led NFF,
nothing has really changed.
Despite putting up an impressive performance at the Women World Cup in
France, the Super Falcons were denied their match bonuses and
allowances until they embarked on a protest.
Our girls on Sunday morning refused to vacate their hotel in France,
insisting that their allowances and bonuses must be paid. The unpaid
allowances included extra camping allowances for five days, unpaid
bonuses/allowances from 2016 and 2017, and FIFA participation fee for
playing in the 2019 Women World Cup.
Before the protest, the Falcons reportedly held an overnight meeting
with officials of the NFF but were not convinced with the resolutions
reached.
Though the meeting resulted in the delay of some players who missed
their flights, five of them got their allowances after the protest.
It was such a national disgrace that the world football governing
body, FIFA stepped in after the players missed their transport to
Paris and subsequently their flights, and the NFF were advised that
any further expenses incurred by the team’s continued stay would be
deducted from their participation fee.
The Falcons then stopped the protest and left their hotel.
Surprisingly, the NFF turned around to say they were disappointed in
the attitude of the Super Falcons, claiming the Federal Government was
yet to release fund for the tournament even after the team had exited
the World Cup!
Rather than burying their head in shame, the NFF decided to counter
the claim of the Super Falcons.
“During the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations in Ghana, the Falcons were
getting $10,000 as match-winning bonus. Were they not paid? I think
the players should be fair to us. As at this moment, we have not
received a penny from the government for the Women’s World Cup. We are
facing a lot of challenges,” Osasu Obayiuwuna, a member of the NFF
Reforms Committee was quoted to have said.
Regardless of the NFF’s claim it is disheartening that the football
house failed to address the issue of the backlog of allowances and
bonuses they reportedly owed the girls until they embarked on a
protest.
The NFF rather decided to play innocence thereby tarnishing the image
of the country and embarrass the girls who actually deserve
commendation.
Despite the huge allocation from the Federal Government, one wonders
why the NFF has adopted the habit of owing our players bonuses and
allowances. In the past and of late, we have heard of former national
team coaches demanding to be paid their salary arrears and backlog of
allowances and bonuses by the NFF.
Before the commencement of the Women World Cup, not many gave the
Super Falcons the chance of advancing beyond the group stage but the
girls proved us wrong by making the Round of 16. Aside defeating South
Korea 2-0, the Falcons held their own against the host nation – France
– losing 0-1 to a side they suffered a 0-7 humiliation against only
last year. In fact, the Falcons’ defeat against the French team
remains contentious following the controversial penalty awarded to
them.
