Sunday, 27 October 2024 04:39

Nigeria awarded 3-0 win over Libya after airport fiasco

Rate this item
(0 votes)

Nigeria have been awarded a 3-0 victory over Libya, and three vital points, from their scheduled Africa Cup of Nations qualifier earlier this month which they refused to play after being stuck in a remote Libyan airport for half a day before the match.

The disciplinary committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Saturday awarded the match to Nigeria 3-0, putting them on the brink of qualifying for next year’s finals as they sit top of Group D.

The three points took Nigeria to 10 with two matches left to play, four ahead of second-placed Benin and five ahead of Rwanda. Libya have a single point from four games and are in last place. The top two teams in the group qualify for the 2025 finals in Morocco.

Nigeria had refused to play the match in Benghazi on Oct. 15, citing mistreatment on arrival in the country some 48 hours before the scheduled kick-off.

Nigerian players and officials were kept in a locked airport for more than 16 hours, almost 250km away from their intended destination, after their charter flight was redirected while on approach to Benghazi and instead landed in Bayda.

They said they had no access to food or water and no contact from Libyan officials during the episode, and they decided to fly back to Nigeria rather than fulfil the fixture.

The Libya Football Federation said the incident was not deliberate, adding that their players had also faced travel difficulties when they played in Nigeria four days earlier.

But CAF found Libya in breach of competition rules that stipulate visiting teams must be properly received by the host association, who must see them through entry formalities and put a bus at their disposal.

CAF said Nigeria were awarded the match with a 3-0 scoreline and that Libya had been fined $50,000.

Libya had earlier complained about the treatment of their players and officials on arrival in Nigeria for their qualifier in Uyo on Oct. 11, when their flight landed hours away from the match venue and the players endured long travel delays.

Nigeria won that match 1-0. Their treatment ahead of the scheduled return game four days later was seen as a tit-for-tat measure and widely condemned across the continent as Libya taking gamesmanship a step too far.

It also highlighted the consistently poor treatment meted out to visiting sides when playing around Africa -- in both national team and club competitions.

CAF president Patrice Motsepe said earlier this week his organisation was looking at tightening up rules and regulations to deter bad treatment of visiting teams.

African football is notorious for poor treatment of visiting teams, with common tricks being delays going through immigration on arrival, circuitous and lengthy bus trips and the allocation of poor training facilities.

 

Reuters

June 21, 2025

SEC bans Independent Directors from CEO roles, caps Chair tenure at 4 years

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has prohibited independent non-executive directors (INEDs) from assuming executive…
June 14, 2025

Tinubu's pardon of 'Ogoni Nine' rejected by Ogoni people

Ogoni activists on Friday rejected a posthumous pardon for nine members executed three decades ago…
June 20, 2025

Warning signs a snake might be lurking around your home: Clues that could save lives

Few things make your heart race quite like spotting a snake slithering nearby. Whether you…
June 21, 2025

Man convicted of posing as flight attendant to fly for free 120 times

A 35-year-old American man has been found guilty of impersonating a flight attendant at least…
June 22, 2025

Female suicide bomber kills at least 24 at Borno food joint in deadly attack

A devastating suicide bombing carried out by a female assailant late Friday night has left…
June 21, 2025

What to know after Day 1213 of Russia-Ukraine war

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE Russia not seeking Ukraine’s surrender – Putin Russia is not seeking Ukraine’s surrender,…
June 20, 2025

Nigerian company to make HIV, malaria test kits locally

Nigerian manufacturer Codix Bio Ltd plans to make millions of HIV and Malaria test kits…
May 13, 2025

Nigeria's Flying Eagles qualify for World Cup after dramatic win over Senegal

Nigeria's U-20 national football team, the Flying Eagles, have secured their place at the 2025…

NEWSSCROLL TEAM: 'Sina Kawonise: Publisher/Editor-in-Chief; Afolabi Ajibola: IT Manager;
Contact Us: [email protected] Tel/WhatsApp: +234 811 395 4049

Copyright © 2015 - 2025 NewsScroll. All rights reserved.