Threat to report Nigeria to Fifa

Posted: 2010-04-28 07:51

South African Women's Football team manager Fran Hilton-Smith has warned the Nigerian authorities that if they bring the same squad that Banyana Banyana played against recently, they intend lodging a complaint with Fifa.

Hilton-Smith claims the West African nation is breaking the fair play rules by fielding over-age players even though the continental authorities are trying to discourage age-cheating in the game.

"We are waiting for them to arrive here and if they bring the same squad that played us in the first leg, we will make them aware that we intend lodging a complaint with the world controlling body Fifa."

Hilton-Smith said that Nigerian journalists had also expressed their fears prior to the start of the first leg match that if they qualified for the World Cup in Trinidad and Tobago, they are likely to be disqualified because the girls clearly looked over-age.

"I do not mind losing," said acting Under-17 SA National Women coach Solly Luvhengo after their 5-0 loss in the first leg match in Nigeria a fortnight ago.

"But you should have seen, most of the girls that were fielded by Nigeria against us in the first leg match were over-age. The lame excuse that Nigerians were by nature physically bigger is rubbish because you didn't need to be a rocket scientist to see whether a girl is a teenager or well over her 20s, as was the case with those Nigerian girls during the first leg match.

"One of the journalists quizzed the flustered coach and demanded to know the criteria used to select a girl whom he said represented Nigeria at the 2008 Fifa World Cup in New Zealand."

Luvhengo said he hated to sound as if he was moaning, but the truth was that the Nigerians did not adhere to the spirit of fair play on that day and loaded their squad with much older girls than the required age of 16.

He added however that he was very proud of his girls for the manner in which they fought against physically stronger and obviously older opponents.

"We conceded a soft goal in the first minute of the match," recalls Luvhengo. "But the girls re-grouped very nicely and their courage under fire made me really proud. I can safely say that we will give them something they are not likely to forget in a hurry when we meet them in Klerksdorp on Saturday."

Ghana, who enjoy a 7-0 lead against Tunisia from the first leg, travel to North Africa for a second leg encounter this weekend.

The winners qualify for the World Cup in Trinidad and Tobago while the losers in this weekend's clashes meet in a two-legged play-off to determine the third African country that will qualify for the Mundial later this year.

http://kickoffnigeria.com/news/15101/threat-to-report-nigeria-to-fifa.php

Mr coach, stop whining, even if we go with 10yrs old girls, we go still beat una.

But you should have seen, most of the girls that were fielded by Nigeria against us in the first leg match were over-age. The lame excuse that Nigerians were by nature physically bigger is rubbish because you didn't need to be a rocket scientist to see whether a girl is a teenager or well over her 20s, as was the case with those Nigerian girls during the first leg match.

I BET HIS COACHING STAFF got carried away looking at the girls' bits instead of coaching!


why cant nigeria make the age-testing exercise permanent?

its mind game

Nigerian U17 female team has qualified for the upcoming U17 female worldcup in TnT by beating the SA girls 2 - 1 at their backyard, i say kudos to the girls.

Nigeria dismiss SA threat

Nigeria will travel to South Africa for the second leg of their Fifa Under-17 Women's World Cup second leg qualifier with the same team that played the first leg, despite complaints from their hosts over the 'looks' of some of the players.

South Africa team manager Fran Hilton-Smith said on arrival in South Africa after the first leg that they would report to Fifa if Nigeria used the same players, claiming that they looked well above the age, and some of the players had competed at the same tournament two years earlier.

But NFF chief media officer Ademola Olajire told SuperSport.com that the NFF would not dignify the statement with a response.

"All I can say is that our team will travel to South Africa with the same team, unless the coach decides that there are one or two players he needs to change for technical reasons.

"But we will not respond to any threats. If they want to complain, they can go ahead. We will only be bothered to respond if we get official notification of a complaint from Fifa, and then we will answer appropriately through the proper channels."

South Africa lodge protest against Nigeria
South Africa lodge protest against Nigeria

Posted: 2010-05-02 14:20

South Africa have officially lodged a protest against Nigeria on allegations of fielding over-age players during the Under-17 World Cup qualifier at Opperheimer Stadium on Saturday.

South Africa warned the Nigerians against fielding over-age players in the first leg, after losing 5-0, but they came back to to honour the second leg game against Bantwana on Saturday with the same squad.

The country’s Under-17 ladies team lost 7-1 on aggregate against their counterparts after losing 2-1 at Opperheimer Stadium on Saturday.

Bantwana manager, Fran Hilton Smith has confirmed the protest.

“Yes I can officially confirm that we have lodged a protest against four Nigerian players who we believe are over-age and were not supposed to play in the Under-17 tournament.

“We have submitted the necessary documents and paid the protest fee and are waiting for CAF to respond on the matter.”

Nigerians why una dey front now? we all know their allegations are probably true    But SA should not be complaining jare . . . match with their own "over-age" players and level the field, or quit complaining  . This is women's soccer, practically no one cares about it anyways.

To be fair the SA Coach is right. Those women are probably married with Kids yet they claim to be U17. Mschewwwwwwwww

bunch of whiners

JeSoul:

  Nigerians why una dey front now? we all know their allegations are probably true    But SA should not be complaining jare . . . match with their own "over-age" players and level the field, or quit complaining  . This is women's soccer, practically no one cares about it anyways.

lol abi o,

honeric01:

Mr coach, stop whining, even if we go with 10yrs old girls, we go still beat una.

correct
even new born babies

I really hope we get disqualified and banned, so real U-17s can go through at our expense.

Na today, e don tay now.

i have to give it to the bananna bananna, at least they're stepping up. 2-1 is still a decent goal margin. gone were the days when the falcon/ets used to trash them 5, 6, -0.
they should include shemales like caster semanya in the squad and they will never have any reason to whine again.

Ghana is the only country giving us tough time in Africa.

I really cannot belief how you guys encourages cheating,or is it a way of life in that part of the world? Shame!

Then we hear people saying our leaders are corrupt and they're pulling our country backward,the reality is people like you,ordinary people who sees nothing wrong in someone who is doing something that is wrong.
Nigeria's dignity is disappearing fast and you guys don't care.
There is no difference between cheating,corruption,murder and rape.

I really hope Fifa ban Nigeria.

RSA:

I really cannot belief how you guys encourages cheating,or is it a way of life in that part of the world? Shame!

Then we hear people saying our leaders are corrupt and they're pulling our country backward,the reality is people like you,ordinary people who sees nothing wrong in someone who is doing something that is wrong.
Nigeria's dignity is disappearing fast and you guys don't care.
There is no difference between cheating,corruption,murder and despoil.

I really hope Fifa ban Nigeria.

GBAM!

Thank You!

We have no shame in taking ossified 22-25 year olds to play 16 year old kids.

We sing and dance when they win over the kids, give all kinds of excuse to justify the disgrace and then cry when our leaders demonstrate the same mentality that brings our nation down.

RSA:

I really cannot belief how you guys encourages cheating,or is it a way of life in that part of the world? Shame!

Then we hear people saying our leaders are corrupt and they're pulling our country backward,the reality is people like you,ordinary people who sees nothing wrong in someone who is doing something that is wrong.
Nigeria's dignity is disappearing fast and you guys don't care.
There is no difference between cheating,corruption,murder and despoil.

I really hope Fifa ban Nigeria.

ok, we don hear you, are u trying to say FIFA aren't seeing what is going on? what proof do you have that these girls are more than 17 years? that's what i really want to know. if we discover the girls are more than their ages, then fifa can go ahead and ban Nigeria, but you must back up your claims with facts and evidence you hia?

honeric01:

ok, we don hear you, are u trying to say FIFA aren't seeing what is going on? what proof do you have that these girls are more than 17 years? that's what i really want to know. if we discover the girls are more than their ages, then fifa can go ahead and ban Nigeria, but you must back up your claims with facts and evidence you hia?

If your country give a 25 year old a passport saying she/he is 15,then there is a little that FIFA can do,but me,you and everyone will know that you're cheating.You see at this stage you've probably got away with murder but your integrity and morality will be questioned.

Remember that every one can cheat,steal or murder but decent people are guided by their moral values.

RSA:

If your country give a 25 year old a passport saying she/he is 15,then there is a little that FIFA can do,but me,you and everyone will know that you're cheating.You see at this stage you've probably got away with murder but your integrity and morality will be questioned.

Remember that every one can cheat,steal or murder but decent people are guided by their moral values.

But we are pretty sure we are cheating, so WE should be ashamed instead of being lackadaisical or even outrightly meretriciously defiant about the obvious, all because the proof is hard to find and use by our opposition.

The thing that annoys me most is the shameless way I KNOW Nigerians do this cheating, and the officials allow (or even assist) the players to do it with the shrug of the shoulder that "we are just being smart". It is completely egregious to see someone that has finished secondary school 6 years earlier claiming 16 today, when the average age of finishing secondary school amongst the least privilege (which the player is most likely from) is about 19, if not 20. If it was some 17/18 year old that is twisting their age then at least we can use the oyinbo grammar of peccadillo. But a bloody 25 year old that most can obviously see as not within the age range, from the ossified facial and body structure, and has 'recently issued' documents obtained through affidavit. It is even more glaring as we are not talking about 1 or 2 players in the team falling into this category but at least 16 out of a team of 23, and then we (as a nation) sing and dance at their victory calling them "our boys" and "our girls".

And later, we start complaining about lack of morality of our police officers that are recruited from the bottom of our low self-esteem, no self-assessment poor that behaviourally just follow the way society dictates to them is the culture. When they are commiting the atrocities of exploiting the powerless by forcing them to pay bribes to access public facilities or even to exist in peace, or collecting bribes from gun smugglers, to them, nothing is wrong "we are just being smart".

Furthermore, we also demand respect from foreigners like if respect is a birthright not earned.

Sagamite:

But we are pretty sure we are cheating, so WE should be ashamed instead of being lackadaisical or even outrightly meretriciously defiant about the obvious, all because the proof is hard to find and use by our opposition.

The thing that annoys me most is the shameless way I KNOW Nigerians do this cheating, and the officials allow (or even assist) the players to do it with the shrug of the shoulder that "we are just being smart". It is completely egregious to see someone that has finished secondary school 6 years earlier claiming 16 today, when the average age of finishing secondary school amongst the least privilege (which the player is most likely from) is about 19, if not 20. If it was some 17/18 year old that is twisting their age then at least we can use the oyinbo grammar of peccadillo. But a bloody 25 year old that most can obviously see as not within the age range, from the ossified facial and body structure, and has 'recently issued' documents obtained through affidavit. It is even more glaring as we are not talking about 1 or 2 players in the team falling into this category but at least 16 out of a team of 23, and then we (as a nation) sing and dance at their victory calling them "our boys" and "our girls".

And later, we start complaining about lack of morality of our police officers that are recruited from the bottom of our low self-esteem, no self-assessment poor that behaviourally just follow the way society dictates to them is the culture. When they are commiting the atrocities of exploiting the powerless by forcing them to pay bribes to access public facilities or even to exist in peace, or collecting bribes from gun smugglers, to them, nothing is wrong "we are just being smart".

Furthermore, we also demand respect from foreigners like if respect is a birthright not earned.

well said

This is sad. . .

Now this is how average Nigerian 16 year olds look like:

http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/crime-a-security/5168-inter-class-competition-claims-students-life-in-ogun

Yet some morons might come here and be arguing the obvious that Stanley Okoro is lying.

Note: Average will be representative of the poor (which most of our footballers are) not the few upper middle class or rich that might develop faster.

Sagamite:

Now this is how average Nigerian 16 year olds look like:

http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/crime-a-security/5168-inter-class-competition-claims-students-life-in-ogun

Yet some morons might come here and be arguing the obvious that Stanley Okoro is lying.

Note: Average will be representative of the poor (which most of our footballers are) not the few upper middle class or rich that might develop faster.

You shouldn't use the case of Stanley Okoro/Chukwudi as a yardstick to discrediting the whole team, i know for sure that we had few U20s in that particular team (the goalkeeper, Emmanuel and few others) and as for the pix you posted, that fact is wrong because i have seen alot of pako boys (young boys) looking so big and healthy, you just have to go through the secondary schools around to see them, i was able to watch clips of the GT bank cup and i saw real U17 looking so big playing football like prof, you'd know that these boys are young with the way they cry just because they lost goal scoring chances.

honeric01:

You shouldn't use the case of Stanley Okoro/Chukwudi as a yardstick to discrediting the whole team,

No, I was actually using the pix for Nigerian underage teams as a whole not just this team.

honeric01:

i know for sure that we had few U20s in that particular team (the goalkeeper, Emmanuel and few others) and as for the pix you posted, that fact is wrong because i have seen alot of pako boys (young boys) looking so big and healthy, you just have to go through the secondary schools around to see them, i was able to watch clips of the GT bank cup and i saw real U17 looking so big playing football like prof, you'd know that these boys are young with the way they cry just because they lost goal scoring chances.

And what makes you sure the players for the GT bank cup are actually the age they claim?

What makes you sure they are even presently registered in the school (I am assuming the cup is a school competition)? When I was in school, several times alumni's came back to play for school team so we just have bragging rights. Some other schools hired players not even associated with the school.

Most of the pako boys I used to see were like those in the pix when under 17. Very late development. The big ones were late education bloomers (i.e. 19/20 in SSS3) but in our national teams of big players, they actuall early education bloomers who finished secondary school at age 12 and yet look like a male Ox at 16.

Sagamite:

No, I was actually using the pix for Nigerian underage teams as a whole not just this team.

And what makes you sure the players for the GT bank cup are actually the age they claim?

Because the tournament involved a professional body of sponsors who wouldn't invest into a fruitless tourney, they wouldn't support a machinery ridden competition, i think the reason why principal's cup didn't have a good sponsor before was because of this age issue, but now things have changed, you weren't there, didn't see any clip of the matches played, so i will ignore that question of yours.

Sagamite:

What makes you sure they are even presently registered in the school (I am assuming the cup is a school competition)? When I was in school, several times alumni's came back to play for school team so we just have bragging rights. Some other schools hired players not even associated with the school.

Most of the pako boys I used to see were like those in the pix when under 17. Very late development. The big ones were late education bloomers (i.e. 19/20 in SSS3) but in our national teams of big players, they actuall early education bloomers who finished secondary school at age 12 and yet look like a male Ox at 16.

Because this is not your "time"
Because one of the criteria of selecting the team is that a player from the school must have at least been in the school for 3 years
must currently be a student of the said school
must provide other relevant information (primary level) to ascertain his real age (range)
because Lagos has her own real u-13, 17 and 20s fully established by the state government and wouldn't want to indulge itself by sponsoring any tournament that does not represent it true reason of organization.

honeric01:

  Because the tournament involved a professional body of sponsors who wouldn't invest into a fruitless tourney, they wouldn't support a machinery ridden competition, i think the reason why principal's cup didn't have a good sponsor before was because of this age issue, but now things have changed, you weren't there, didn't see any clip of the matches played, so i will ignore that question of yours.

Because this is not your "time"
Because one of the criteria of selecting the team is that a player from the school must have at least been in the school for 3 years
must currently be a student of the said school
must provide other relevant information (primary level) to ascertain his real age (range)
because Lagos has her own real u-13, 17 and 20s fully established by the state government and wouldn't want to indulge itself by sponsoring any tournament that does not represent it true reason of organization.

And all these are not connivably achievable in Nigeria where records are not really kept at national level, talkless of school level?

We are talking here of individuals that can obtain a national passport that gives them ages 8 years less than they really are. You think getting proof of attending a secondary or primary school would be that difficult? Not like if headmasters and principals are historically known to be mensch.

And not like if state governments would be that diligent in what they see as inconsequential and acceptable "norms", neither are they less susceptible to a few thousands naira notes.

In a society that does not see it as wrong or a 'big deal' to cheat internationally, I don't think most parties (school and state officials particularly) involved in checking age cheating would be that reluctant to turn a blind eye, especially if something as mere as even N5000 exchange hands to add to their meagre salaries. This overlook happens in a lot of spheres of Nigeria and I don't see how it most likely will be any different in a school competition just because private firms sponsor it.

As long as the tournament attracts audiences due to good football, corporate goals are achieved. It is really nearly inconsequential to them the age discrepancies as they are Nigerians too and will see it as the 'norm', neither are they a club that will sign the players and then feel the impact of age cheating. All they want is publicity and they would have got it. Please don't tell me some principles drive Nigerian corporates so much they will go out of their way to fight age cheating that society at large accept and will also ensure the games are of higher quality, hence attracting bigger audiences.

Sagamite:

And all these are not connivably achievable in Nigeria where records are not really kept at national level, talkless of school level?

We are talking here of individuals that can obtain a national passport that gives them ages 8 years less than they really are. You think getting proof of attending a secondary or primary school would be that difficult? Not like if headmasters and principals are historically known to be mensch.

And not like if state governments would be that diligent in what they see as inconsequential and acceptable "norms", neither are they less susceptible to a few thousands naira notes.

In a society that does not see it as wrong or a 'big deal' to cheat internationally, I don't think most parties (school and state officials particularly) involved in checking age cheating would be that reluctant to turn a blind eye, especially if something as mere as even N5000 exchange hands to add to their meagre salaries. This overlook happens in a lot of spheres of Nigeria and I don't see how it most likely will be any different in a school competition just because private firms sponsor it.

As long as the tournament attracts audiences due to good football, corporate goals are achieved. It is really nearly inconsequential to them the age discrepancies as they are Nigerians too and will see it as the 'norm', neither are they a club that will sign the players and then feel the impact of age cheating. All they want is publicity and they would have got it. Please don't tell me some principles drive Nigerian corporates so much they will go out of their way to fight age cheating that society at large accept and will also ensure the games are of higher quality, hence attracting bigger audiences.

You don't live in Lagos, but if you do, then that mean you ain't familiar with the new way the secondary and primary school operates now.
before the state government started giving out complete text books to all primary and public secondary school pupils, the government must have taken all their info to the teeth because the books belong to the government and once you are promoted to the next class, you're entitled to return the books to the school authorities so that you can get new ones for your new class and the old ones given to the newly promoted ones (except in a case where the pupil destroys the book, he or she must pay/buy the book back).

Now look at that scenario, do you think the school authorities do not have the complete bio-data (started since 2007) of their pupils before rolling out programs like this?

Anyways, like i said, you don't need a magician to tell you if someone is u-17 or not and the secondary school cup is not even an u-17 tournament, but the age range is between 8-20years which the pupils i saw on TV obviously represent.