The Special Aadviser to Nigeria’s Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Toyin Ibitoye has assured the Super Falcons of receiving their unpaid bonuses after the team reportedly threatened to skip training.
Several media had reported that the team refused a schedule training session on Wednesday morning as players were demanding the immediate payment of their appearance fee.
The confusion had erupted in the wake of Nigeria’s semi-final loss to Morocco on Monday as preparation for their third-place match against Zambia kicked-off.
Reacting to the news of Super Falcons boycotting training over unpaid bonuses, Ibitoye said the ball is in motion and they will get paid.
“The issues are being resolved. The Nigeria Football Federation has assured the team they will get all that is due to them.
“The Federal Ministry Of Youth And Sports Development has presented NFF’s request for financial intervention to the relevant quarters and it’s receiving urgent attention.
He continued: “The processes for receiving funds from the Government take time and the team now understands this. Both the Federal Ministry Of Youth And Sports Development and the Nigeria Football Federation is working to ensure things move at a faster pace.”
It is not the first time the Super Falcons and the NFF have clashed over unpaid bonuses and allowances.
Eighteen years ago, the team remained in their hotel in South Africa for three days after the Nigeria FA, as the NFF was then called, failed to pay their bonuses for winning the 2004 African Women’s Championship.
Nigerian teams have frequently been affected by pay disputes, with coaches regularly going unpaid and players boycotting training during qualifiers or at tournaments over unpaid bonuses.
