/ 27 March 2000

NIGERIA LODGE PROTEST WITH FIFA

A FURIOUS Nigerian Football Association on Friday lodged a protest with football’s world governing body FIFA after English Premiership club Chelsea ordered their Nigerian international Celestine Babayaro to remain home, saying he is injured. Nigeria and Chelsea have been engaging for weeks in a tussle over the player who Nigeria’s Dutch coach Jo Bonfrere wants for a crucial Olympic qualifying game Saturday against Zimbabwe. Chelsea insisted on not releasing Babayaro before Wednesday’s European Champions League game against Lazio which they lost 2-1. That had already angered the Nigerians who were enraged when told by the English side that Babayaro is injured and unable to travel. “We got a fax from Chelsea accompanied by a medical report that Celestine Babayaro is injured. We have since replied that he should still come,” NFA Secretary General Tijani Yusuf told reporters Friday. “We have also communicated our position to FIFA,” Yusuf said. The Nigerians are particularly angered as they are also missing another international – Julius Aghahowa – whose club Esperance of Tunisia also claim he is injured.