The Super Eagles’ ill treatment in North Africa has been denounced by the body that oversees African football.
Football fans over the continent are left with a bad taste in their mouths following a social media flurry over the way the Nigerian Super Eagles team was treated in Libya.
These kinds of situations shouldn’t be occurring in the modern day, when opponents need to be welcomed rather than abandoned. After their chartered airplane arrived on Sunday, the team was left trapped at an abandoned airport in Libya for more than fifteen hours. Players’ frustration increased because they were without basic supplies like food and drink during this time.
Since then, the Nigerian squad has returned home by plane, leaving the situation in the hands of Caf’s Disciplinary Committee, hoping for swift action against those responsible for this unacceptable treatment.
“The Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF) has been in contact with the Libyan and Nigerian authorities after it 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,” according to a statement.
“The matter has been referred to the CAF Disciplinary Board for investigation and appropriate action will be taken against those who violated the CAF Statutes and Regulations.”
Since the Disciplinary Committee’s decision must show that such wrongdoing has grave repercussions, it will establish an important precedent.
In addition to assigning or subtracting points, the decision will consider whether African football can develop into a competitive and ethically sound space.
If those responsible for mistreating teams going across the continent are not dealt with harshly, it could normalize the behavior and erode the spirit of sportsmanship.
The task facing Caf is to make the most of this incident by advocating for higher standards, more effective logistical planning, and more stringent responsibility in order to guarantee that football flourishes both on and off the field.
Nigeria is now leading Group D with seven points after defeating Libya 1-0 in Uyo, but their season is in risk due to the unannounced boycott.
If CAF declares the match a forfeit, Libya, who is now bottom of the group with just one point, might receive the points. Café
has accepted the situation and is collaborating with authorities in Nigeria and Libya.
Everyone in the football world will be watching the Disciplinary Committee’s decision because it must indicate that African football needs to develop.
To protect the integrity of sport throughout the continent, prevent future occurrences of this kind, and damage the reputation of CAF, those responsible for such acts must face harsh penalties.
(Goal)
