The saga involving payment of money in exchange for slot in the national teams of Nigeria came to the fore when former Nigeria international Chinedu Obasi revealed he was asked to pay bribe before he will be included in the team for the World Cup 2014 in Brazil.
Obasi claimed his refusal to pay the certain amount cost him a spot in team that went to the tournament and his statement appears to have opened the door for more people to come forward with revelation.
Reacting to the story, a former coach of the Nigeria U17 and later U20 team revealed that the practice is worst at that level as most times it involves highly placed individual in the society and also football administrators.
” My brother what you’re hearing about the senior national team is nothing close to what goes on at U17 and U20 level. It’s worst there because most of the players are not well known like the senior national team players”, he told Owngoalnigeria.com on the condition of anonymity.
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” First of all it’s not coming from people who have no influence. Highly placed people will send you players with complimentary cards and most times administrators are used by these men. It’s a dying practice anyway because the current board has really tried in curbing it to an extent but a lot still has to be done”, he concluded.
Ade Emmanuel
