The Nigeria U-17 women’s World Cup team to India have opened up on their agony over unpaid bonuses and unfulfilled promises.
Two months after beating Germany to finish third at the U-17 Women’s World Cup, players and officials of the Flamingos are yet to receive their allowances.
While their camping allowances from February 6 to June 5, 2022, had been paid, the team’s bonuses for qualifying matches they played against Congo, Egypt and Ethiopia were yet to be paid.
Nigeria media outlet, Punch, in an exclusive interview with some of the players who begged to remain anonymous said they could not afford to buy a sock for members of the family after the tournament.
“Since I returned from the World Cup in August I haven’t visited my home state because nobody will believe a World Cup player can’t even buy socks for her friends.
“We played eight qualifiers to qualify for the World Cup and we were given just N50,000 each for qualification. At the World Cup proper, we were paid just $500 as camp allowance, while the NFF pledged to pay us our bonuses.
As I speak with you, we haven’t heard from them. I couldn’t send anything home to my family for the Christmas and New Year celebrations.” One of the women also said.
Dare Ogun