Nigeria escape ban over government interference

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP):

Nigeria escaped a worldwide football ban yesterday after FIFA confirmed that the African country's government had withdrawn its threat to suspend the national team for two years within the required deadline.

FIFA released a statement saying it had received a letter from the government revoking the threat before the 6 p.m. local time (1600 GMT) cut-off point that football's governing had set last Friday.

"Therefore, the Nigerian Football Federation remains vested with all its statutory rights," the statement read.

FIFA had intended to suspend Nigeria from world football if the threat was not revoked because its rules forbid governments to interfere in football's affairs.

The statement noted that "the Nigerian Government also recognises the currently elected executive of the Nigerian Football Federation".

Earlier yesterday, the office for Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan released a statement rescinding the threat, which arose due to corruption allegations and the national team's disappointing World Cup performance in which they only earned one point.

The federation "assured the president of their commitment to evolving an enduring football development programme and grow a new senior national team that will bring glory, rather than consistent embarrassment to Nigeria on the world stage," the government statement read.

A presidential spokesman announced last Wednesday that President Jonathan wanted the national team suspended for two years to allow Nigerian football to be restructured, after they left the World Cup with only a draw from three group matches.

FIFA dispatched Nigeria's most senior football official - Amos Adamu, a member of its 24-man ruling executive - to mediate with the government.

A FIFA suspension would have stopped Nigerian club teams, referees and officials from taking part in international football.

Nigeria are due to send a women's Under-20 team to the World Cup, which kicks off next week in Germany.

Dispute

Nigerian club Heartland also stood to lose its place in the African Champions League if it could not fulfil a home fixture against Egypt's Al-Ahly scheduled next week.

The dispute between Nigeria and FIFA flared last week after the national team returned from South Africa.

Nigeria earned a 2-2 draw with South Korea in their final game. They lost to Argentina 1-0 in their Group B opener and fell to Greece 2-1 in a game that turned on the first-half dismissal of midfielder Sani Kaita.

The suspension threat by Nigeria's government also followed corruption allegations that plagued the team before the World Cup. Presidential spokesman Ima Niboro said last Wednesday that all funds directed toward the Nigeria Football Federation would be examined and "all those found wanting will be sanctioned".

FIFA spokesman Nicolas Maingot could not confirm yesterday if Nigeria's federation had yet been paid any of the $8-million prize money they are due from FIFA for taking part in the World Cup.

On Sunday, the federation fired its president and vice-president in an effort to convince the Nigerian state president to drop the suspension threat.

Nigeria have previously drawn the ire of international football authorities. In January 1996, the Confederation of African Football suspended Nigeria from two African Cup of Nation tournaments after military dictator Sani Abacha withdrew the squad from playing. Nigeria had won the 1994 competition.

At the time, Abacha claimed he pulled the team from the Johannesburg-hosted tournament out of security concerns. However, it likely had more to do with Abacha's anger over then South African President, Nelson Mandela, urging international sanctions be levelled against Nigeria after the dictator's regime executed nine activists from the oil-rich Niger Delta.