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Adidas Suspends Nigeria Over Removal Of NFF Chairman

Published

10 years ago

July 7, 2014

A major sponsor of Nigerian football, Adidas, has reportedly suspended its cooperation with the country over the current crisis rocking the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF.
Since the news broke last week that the president of NFF, Aminu Maigari and the entire members of his board, had been removed by a court in Jos, peace has not returned to Nigerian football.
According to a report published online by Supersport.com on Monday, 7 July, 2014, the sports wear giants have suspended it’s involvement with Nigeria with immediate effect and has also expressed displeasure with the furore pervading the NFF.
It was gathered that Adidas, who have been kitting Nigerian national teams for about a decade now, are also towing the line of the world football governing body, FIFA, who have given Nigeria a Tuesday, 8 July, 2014, deadline to revert the decision on the removal of Maigari or be suspended from all football activities.
It could be recalled that last week, a court injunction in Jos, Nigeria asked the NFF to step aside, while the Sports Ministry appointed Lawrence Katken to serve as the Sole Administrator while new elections are conducted.
A few days later, an extra ordinary emergency congress sat in Abuja and “unanimously endorsed” the removal of the NFF executive committee.
It also terminated the employment of the football federation’s management staff.
Maigari was also accused of high-handedness as members expressed their displeasure at what transpired during the World Cup as players sat out training to demand for their appearance fees.
Over the weekend, it was reported that an electoral committee has also been set up ahead of elections into the NFF board.
With the decision of Adidas to suspend the NFF, critics are already speculating other sponsors of the NFF, that include Guinness, Peak Milk among others, might tow the same line with the German Sportswear firm, as FIFA’s Tuesday deadline looms.
This is not the first time that FIFA would be threatening to ban Nigeria over interference in the running of the round leather game in the country.
The world football governing body had few years ago threatened to ban the NFF after the Nigerian Federal Government wanted to withdraw the country from all football related activities for two years. A decision that was later rescinded after intervention from stakeholders.
With this latest threat of another ban by FIFA, football lovers are hoping the NFF and the Sports ministry would put everything in order before Tuesday’s deadline.