Nigeria Risks Getting Banned from Football Again

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President Chris Giwa‘s (pictured) refusal to step down per the Fédération Internationale de Football Association‘s (FIFA) directive could see the West African giant getting kicked out of international football.

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FIFA already banned Nigeria for nine days in July for a perceived government interference. Aminu Maigari (pictured), the FIFA-recognized president at the time, was forced out of his post by a court ruling.

The ban was lifted after he was reinstated, but Maigari was voted out by the NFF executive committee a few days later. Yet again, FIFA did not accept this vote and Maigari was once again reinstated as president of the NFF.

Somehow NFF’s congress elected Giwa on August 26th, but football’s world governing body did not recognize that election either.

To this effect, FIFA has given Nigeria until Monday, the 8th of September, to allow Maigari back to his office or risk being banned from international football.

Giwa told BBC Sports, “I remain the president of the NFF, a legitimate congress elected me and that is how it is.”

He added, “If an appeal committee or the Court of Arbitration for Sport sits today and quashes my election, I will humbly vacate office.”

While inaugurating two boards within the NFF, one of which would manage the Nigeria Premier Football League, Giwa said, “We are not the enemies of football…all we want is for football to move forward in the country. FIFA as a friendly association will not ban Nigeria. We are praying that God will not allow that to happen. For the letter that came in yesterday, I want to plead with Nigerians to be calm. I am sure that FIFA will not ban Nigeria. I want to repeat it again that I am very sure that Nigeria will not be suspended. And very soon, the enemies of football in Nigeria will be exposed.”

As things stand, Giwa’s administration would be in charge in Calabar, where Nigeria, the reigning African champions, take on Congo on Saturday, 6th of September.

Should Giwa refuse to renounce his claim to the presidency two days after the Congo game, a FIFA ban will go in to effect, which would mean that Nigeria will not play in the second qualifier game in South Africa on the 10th of September.

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