Sports Revelation Online ..breaking authenic sports reports
By Harry Awurumibe, Africa’s No. 1 Women’s Football Journalist
Home at Last…Nigeria’s Falconets pose for the camera’s on arrival in Abuja on Friday
Nigeria’s Falconets have finally arrived home after days of long flight delays occasioned by untidy travelling arrangements with the management of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on hand to receive the contingent at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Thursday.
The General Secretary of NFF, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi who led some staff to welcome the Falconets told them that Nigerians are proud of them, promising the players and officials that their outstanding match entitlements will be paid to them when the Super Falcons will get their own outstanding bonuses.
Also at the airport to receive the returning Nigerian team was Mr. Toyin Ibitoye, an aide to the Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Chief Sunday Dare, who presented to the team through the Head Coach Christopher Danjuma Musa a cash gift from his boss in appreciation of their efforts.
It has been a nightmarish week for the young women footballers since Nigeria crashed out of the on-going 2022 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after suffering a 2-0 defeat in the hands of Netherlands on Monday as the team had to leave San Jose on Monday.
Ugly Sight…Photos of Falconets players sleeping on the bare floors at Ataturk International Airport in Istanbul, Turkey, after missing their flight to Abuja
But the two days trip later turned to nearly one week after the Nigerian team missed their second leg flight in Colombia following a long hours of delays at the airport which resulted to chain reactions down the line.
According to NFF the Falconets faced hitches that saw the team delayed for more than three hours in Bogota, Colombia and another one hour in Panama hence by the time the already exhausted team arrived Istanbul, Turkey, Turkish Airline flight to Abuja had departed the Ataturk International Airport, after waiting in vain for the Nigerian team to show up.
For that reason, the Nigerian contingent which did not have Turkish entry visas where left with the short end of the sticks as the only option was to spend more than a day at the airport with its attendant inconveniences especially as young women who require some privacy while visiting the bathroom.
However. the Falconets have returned to Nigeria in the next Turkish Airlines available flight to Abuja. The team will spend a night in Abuja before they will be decamped on Friday.
Prompt News can confirm that the Nigerian contingent to Costa Rica are not happy how the trip has turned out for them following their inability to receive their stipends as at and when due.