/ 15 June 2000

S LEONE WON’T GO TO NIGERIA

UREGENT moves were afoot on Thursday to get the Sierra Leone national soccer team to travel to Nigeria for this weekend’s World Cup qualifier against the Super Eagles, sports ministry officials said. The statement came a day after the team refused to board the helicopter which should have taken them to the country’s international airport for the liftoff to Lagos. The players demanded $1000 dollars each against the $350 given by the government as per diem allowances. Deputy Sports Minister Abass Collier, who was to have led the 31-man contigent, said he was “baffled” by the development. Almost all of the 20 players are professionals playing for European clubs.