• Laments Over Delay In Accessing Funds
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) says the prize money for Super Falcons round of 16 appearances at France 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup would be used to pay the salary of the incoming foreign coach and the assistants.
The NFF is on the verge of signing another foreign coach for the female national team as a replacement for Thomas Dennerby, a Swede, who resigned shortly after leading the team to France 2019 World Cup. The Super Falcons reached the Round of 16 for the first time since coach Ismaila Mabo’s feat in 1999, and were entitled to FIFA’s $1million.
An official of the NFF revealed to The Guardian that part of money ($238,000) had already been deducted by FIFA as its expenses in sorting out the players when they embarked on protest over non-payment of wages at the World Cup venue. According to the NFF official, the balance of $762,000 would be used to pay the salary of the incoming foreign coach.
“The players are entitled to 30 percent of the money, but their protest at France 2019 cost $238,000. FIFA has already deducted its money, and we are going to use the balance to pay salary of the new foreign coach,” the official stated.
However, the NFF official lamented over what he termed as “long delay” in accessing the Super Falcons’ World Cup prize money and other financial benefits from FIFA.
“It takes too long before we can access the money from CBN. The system is not ready. The money from FIFA will have to “travel” a long journey, from the Citibank in New York to Citibank in London before it gets to the CBN in Nigeria. That is why the NFF is appealing to the sports ministry to open a commercial account for us. The money coming from the government can go through the CBN, while those from FIFA and CAF will have to go through the commercial account. That will make it easier for the NFF to access its money and put into use without much delay,” the official stated.
