Sports

Super Falcons refuse to leave hotel in France after World Cup exit

Published

6 years ago

June 23, 2019

Nigeria players have refused to leave their hotel in France, until all their outstanding bonuses are paid, following the team’s elimination from the Women’s World Cup on Saturday, ESPN reports.

The Super Falcons are owed bonuses from two games, against Gambia and Senegal, from as far back as two years ago, amounting to N2million (about $5,600), but they have been paid only half of that.
The players also claim they are owed five days of daily allowance while at the 2019 World Cup.

“They paid us 1 million [naira] and said that is all. We want them to pay the balance.

“Part of that money is from two years ago, the other is from three years ago. And they are also owing us five days’ daily allowance here in France.

“Before the World Cup, we asked them for a meeting so that we could discuss our World Cup bonuses, like they did with the men’s team last year. They ignored the letter and nobody said anything about it until now,” one of the players said.

The players are also demanding their share of the World Cup participation fee from FIFA, even though the tournament’s organisers are not scheduled to pay those until September.

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president, Amaju Pinnick, however, insists all the outstanding allowances have been paid.

“We have paid them everything they are being owed,” he said.

“The only thing outstanding is the participation fee from FIFA, which is not expected to come until after the tournament. But they insist that they want to get paid, as they have spoken to players from Cameroon and France, who told them they have already been paid.”