/ 23 March 2000

CHELSEA AGREE TO RELEASE BABAYARO

ENGLISH Premiership side Chelsea have agreed to release Nigerian international Celestine Babayaro Thursday for a crucial Olympic qualifier at the weekend, Nigerian sports officials said. The London club have been in a tussle with the Nigerian Football Association over the release of Babayaro after he overstayed in Nigeria at the end of the African Cup of Nations finals in January. Chelsea insisted that Babayaro be available for the European Champions League group decider against Lazio on Wednesday night and said they need his services for a league match against Southampton on Saturday. But Nigeria, who won Olympic gold in Atlanta in 1996, insisted that they need Babayaro for their crucial qualifying match against Zimbabwe in Lagos on Saturday, and threatened to report Chelsea to Fifa.