Sports
Why Falconets Overstayed At Istanbul Airport-NFF
Joel Ajayi
The Nigeria Football Federation on Wednesday explained that a number of factors, including the inability to secure transit visas for players and officials of the U20 Girls National Team, Falconets, at the Istanbul Airport, led to the team having to stay 24 hours at the airport in Turkey on their way from the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup.
In a statement issued by the NFF Director of Communication Ademola Olajire stated that: “The NFF did not book the team’s tickets from Costa Rica; FIFA did. FIFA also did not envisage the hitches that saw the team delayed for more than three hours in Bogota, and another one hour in Panama. By the time the team got to Istanbul, the flight to Abuja had left.
“Our officials pleaded for compassionate transit visas so as to take the players and officials to a hotel inside the town, but this was not possible as they were informed that Nigeria had been removed from the list of countries whose citizens were issued visa-on-arrival in Turkey. The airline then took the team to a sleeping area at the airport and gave them tickets to have meals every five hours. This situation has nothing to do with NFF, who had made arrangements to receive the team in Abuja before the complications in travel arrangements,” NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, explained.
It would be recalled that the NFF had implored world-governing body, FIFA to intervene with the Embassy of Germany to issue the team transit visas before their departure from Nigeria, in order for the team to be able to travel through Germany. This did not happen.
On the issue of body-wear, Sanusi said: “The players were handed three sets of green jerseys and two sets of white jerseys, several house-wear types and training jerseys. The players opted to wash only their jersey top (no other stuff) because when the first set of body-wear was sent to the laundry people at the hotel, it returned with some FIFA and NFF badges at the front and names at the back peeled by the machine.”
Sports
Authentic All Stars International of Bauchi Thank Finance Commissioner for Sallah Gift
Joel Ajayi
The President of Authentic All Stars INT’L Bauchi Patrick Pascal (MON) has expressed his heartfelt appreciation to the Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Hon. Dr. Yakubu Adamu, for his continued generosity and support to the group during the Sallah celebrations.
In a message to members, the president who is also the Bauchi State FA Chairman announced that the organization had received a Sallah cow from Dr. Yakubu Adamu as part of his goodwill for the festive season. The gesture follows a similar show of support during the last Sallah celebration, when the Commissioner gifted the group ₦700,000.
“I have been directed to inform all members that officials of Authentic All Stars INT’L Bauchi have received a Sallah cow from Hon. Dr. Yakubu Adamu,” the message read. “Members may wish to know that the same Hon. Dr. Yakubu Adamu gave us ₦700,000 during the last Sallah celebration.”
The group extended its gratitude to Dr. Adamu, noting that his contributions reflect his enduring commitment to community engagement and social support, especially during important cultural and religious occasions.
Members of Authentic All Stars INT’L Bauchi are expected to participate in the sharing and celebration of the gift as they mark the Sallah festival.
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