Why Nigeria soccer is boycotting its AFCON qualifying match against Libya
- by USA Today
- Oct 14, 2024
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October 14, 2024 1:10 pm ET
The Africa Cup of Nations is deep into qualifying to determine the 24-team field that will head to Morocco for next year’s tournament. But we are seeing the ugly side of world soccer play out ahead of the scheduled match between Nigeria and Libya.
The Nigeria men’s national team — coming off Friday’s 1-0 win against Libya — was slated to fly to Benghazi for Monday’s return match. Yet, the team never made it to Benghazi’s Benina International Airport. Instead, the Super Eagles were stranded some 155 miles away in a last-minute diversion that they believed was intentional sabotage.
Here’s what we know now.
What happened with that flight to Benghazi
According to the Nigeria Football Federation, the team’s chartered plane was already in its final descent to Benghazi when the pilot received a last-minute diversion order. The plane then had to fly to Al Abraq Airport, which is about 155 miles away from Benghazi.
Upon landing at this other airport, players and staff were evidently stuck there without food and water for 16-plus hours. Via ESPN:
“We have the utmost respect for our Nigerian counterparts and want to reassure them that the diversion of their flight was not intentional,” it said, adding that disruptions can occur from routine air traffic protocols, security checks or other logistical challenges.
“We firmly reject any claims that suggest foul play or sabotage in this situation. We hope that this misunderstanding can be resolved with understanding and goodwill.”
The NFF was understandably furious as Libya’s FA made no effort to resolve the issue:
“Fatigued players and officials have remained nonplussed as the host Libyan Football Federation failed to send any reception team or even vehicles to take the delegation members from the airport to their hotel, said to be 3 hours away in Benghazi.
“Players have resolved not to play the match any longer as NFF officials are making plans to fly the team back home.”
What are the players saying?
Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong spoke on behalf of the team and said that Nigeria would boycott the match and urged CAF (Confederation of African Football) to take action against Libya. But either way, the team was willing to forfeit the match.
He wrote on Twitter/X:
12+ hours in an abandoned airport in Lybia after our plane was diverted whilst descending. Lybian government rescinded our approved landing in Benghazi with no reason. They’ve locked the airport gates and left us without phone connection, food or drink. All to play mind games.
I’ve experienced stuff before playing away in Africa but this is disgraceful behaviour. Even the Tunisian Pilot who thankfully managed to navigate the last minute change to an airport not fit for our plane to land had never seen something like this before.
Upon arrival he tried to find a nearby airport to rest with his crew to be denied at every hotel again under Government instruction. He could sleep there but NO NIGERIAN crew members allowed. They have returned to now sleep on the plane which is parked up.
At this point we have called for our Nigerian Government to intervene and rescue us. As the captain together with the team we have decided that we will NOT play this game. CAF should look at the report and what is happening here. Even if they decide to allow
This kind of behaviour, let them have the points. We will not accept to travel anywhere by road here even with security it’s not safe. We can only imagine what the hotel or food would be like given to us IF we continued.
We respect ourselves and respect our opponents when they are our guests in Nigeria. Mistakes happen but these things on purpose have nothing to do with int. football.
Shortly after his tweets, he updated that a bus arrived to retrieve the team. However, the team decided to return to Nigeria.
Has CAF said anything yet?
As of now, CAF — the African confederation — has not made a public statement about the situation. The only acknowledgment has been a match schedule tweet that omitted Monday’s Libya-Nigeria game.
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