Despite boycotting the AFCON 2025 qualifiers game away to Libya, the senior national team of Nigeria moved three places in the latest rankings released by world football governing body FIFA, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.
Super Eagles defeated Libya 1-0 in Uyo but had to abandon the away game against Libya after they were left unattended to for over 16 hours at the airport upon arrival without food and water. They also survived a plane crash when their flight was inexplicably diverted to another airport 300km away from the city of the game.
The abandoned game still didn’t affect their rankings as they are now 36th in the world and number four in Africa behind Morocco, Senegal and Egypt respectively as released by FIFA a few minute ago.
Meanwhile the disciplinary committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has listened to the submission of both countries after the decision to suspend the game. At the hearing former president of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and FIFA executive committee member Amaju Pinnick represented Nigeria.
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Pinnick was clear in his submission that the General secretary of Libya Football Federation (LFF) Nasser Al-Suwaie went against the principle of fair play by switching off his phone after making three separate promises that he was on his way to meet the team at the airport.
Libya were represented by represented by Abdul Hakim Al-Shalmani, a CAF Executive member and former president of the Libya Football Federation, he argued that their actions was in retaliation to the treatment they suffered in Nigeria when they came for the first game of the back to the back tie.
A claim which has long been dismissed as false, because their chartered aircraft landed in Port Harcourt instead of Uyo , and when the NFF secured a landing permit for them in Uyo they declined it on the ground of the cost implications.
It was also established that they decided to embark on the trip by night despite the NFF making arrangements for them to the contrary. Al-Shalmani was however silent on the reason behind the diversion of the flight, which could have led to a possible plane crash as that route wasn’t in the initial flight schedule.
A decision is expected to be made today with sanctions expected to be placed on Libya, who have also indicated their willingness to challenge any decision that goes against them with the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).
