/ 5 April 2000

BABAYARO CLEARED TO PLAY FOR CHELSEA

THE conflict between Chelsea and the Nigerian Football Association seems to have been resolved after the club won its battle to play Celstine Babayaro in Wednesday’s crunch Champions Cup quarterfinal against Barcelona, despite Babayaro having to play for his country in a World Cup qualifier over the weekend. Chelsea had to obtain permission from the NFA to field Babayaro because, under a Fifa ruling, Nigeria has the right to claim Babyaro’s services five days before an international. The NFA agreed earlier that Arsenal striker Nwankwo Kanu could play for his club against Lens in a UEFA Cup semifinal on Thursday, and on Tuesday they agreed to Babayaro playing for Chelsea.