Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), has expressed strong confidence. He believes in Nigeria’s position as FIFA reviews concerns. These concerns relate to the eligibility of some Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) players. This issue arose during the recent World Cup qualifiers.
Dikko appeared on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Friday. He described Nigeria’s case before FIFA as “very tight.” He stressed that Nigerian football authorities raised these issues early. They were identified well before the playoff defeat to DR Congo.
Early Concerns Over Player Eligibility
The scrutiny of player eligibility was not a reaction to the loss. It stemmed from close monitoring of DR Congo’s squad. This monitoring began after the squad announcement on November 1. The playoff fixtures were scheduled for November 13.
Officials became worried. Players of other nationalities were named. They had not received FIFA clearance at that time.
“We saw the squad for the playoffs,” Dikko stated. “It was announced on November 1, ahead of the November 13 matches. We examined our opponents’ squad. We quickly noticed the Congolese had listed players of other nationalities. These players lacked FIFA clearance initially. This raised an immediate alarm. Everyone started monitoring, even though those players weren’t playing yet.”
He continued, “This issue didn’t begin because we lost. We had been observing their actions. Then, a day before the qualifiers, we found they were getting clearances. This meant the players became qualified to play. But this raises a question: What gave them the confidence to name a foreign national in their squad for a match two weeks later? The player wasn’t qualified until just before the game. That timing raised serious alarms for us after the qualifiers.”
The NSC chairman revealed these players obtained FIFA clearance only one day before the qualifiers. This timing, he noted, significantly heightened suspicion. It led to a deeper examination of the entire process.
Adherence to FIFA Rules and Legalities
Dikko cited a previous case involving South Africa. Points were deducted from them for fielding an ineligible player. This, he argued, proves FIFA applies eligibility regulations strictly. There is no compromise.
He also emphasized the importance of proper legal procedures for nationality matters. He warned that shortcuts in issuing passports could have severe consequences. Such actions threaten the integrity of the game.
“It is the federation’s responsibility,” he explained. “They must ensure passports are issued according to the law. You cannot simply issue a passport and change someone’s nationality. If a passport is not issued legally by that country, it impacts everything.”
Nigeria’s Stance: A Matter of Principle
While acknowledging Nigeria’s defeat, Dikko maintained the country’s stance. He stressed it is rooted in respect for the rules, not emotion. “Yes, we lost. Unfortunately, everyone was angry about it,” he admitted.
“We are not sore losers,” Dikko asserted. “However, this is part of the rules. We involve our legal team and international lawyers. We examine legal opinions and relevant laws. We discovered suspicions. Some things might not have been done correctly. They may not align with the laws of the game. We found probable misrepresentations made to FIFA to obtain those clearances.”
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