Super Falcons to protest, boycott World Cup as NFF reportedly cancels bonuses

The Super Falcons are planning to embark on a protest and boycott their opening game of the 2023 Women’s World Cup over the revelation that they will not receive match bonuses for the competition.

General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Dr Mohammed Sanusi reportedly told the players that their match bonuses for the competition had been cancelled by the federation.

He was said to have informed the Nigerian contingent before their departure from Abuja on July 2, that the move is in consideration of the fact that FIFA had already announced that every player would get $30,000 in the group stage of the tournament in Australia and New Zealand.

A camp source told The Punch that the decision was taken after six senior players — captain Onome Ebi, Rasheedat Ajibade, Asisat Oshoala, Ohale Osinachi, Tochukwu Oluehi and Desire Oparanozie — held a lengthy meeting on arrival at the Mercure Resorts, Gold Coast, following Sanusi’s announcement.

“We are going ahead to press for our demands. We are ready to go as far as missing our first game against Canada July 21 because this has to stop.

“On Wednesday night, we held a meeting where we agreed that we were going to find out if what we were asking for is legitimate, and that if it’s legitimate, we will press for our demands. It was what was agreed. The next meeting will be after we get the information we need and then the protest will start,” the source said.

It was also gathered that Sanusi said the players would no longer be given 30 percent from the $1,560,000 FIFA grant to all member associations for the group stage of the competition.

“The General Secretary came for the meeting clutching so many papers; he told us that we won’t be paid match bonuses at the World Cup because FIFA had already given each player $30,000 for the group stage. He also said we won’t get 30 per cent from the $1,560,000 FIFA would give the NFF.

“We were shocked, team morale went down immediately because we couldn’t believe what the man was saying.

“One of the oldest players in the team asked him if FIFA would deduct the money ($30,000) they would give us from the $1.5m they gave the federation but he (Sanusi) said no. So, she said if its like that, then it shouldn’t affect our match bonuses. After several minutes of argument, Sanusi asked us if we would have preferred the $9,000 match bonus or the $30,000 from FIFA,” a senior official said.

The source added; “At the last World Cup, the same thing happened and we were shortchanged, we won’t allow this to happen any longer. They dare not treat the Super Eagles like this. Is it because we are women? We must put a stop to this this time around.”

NFF president, Ibrahim Gusau and Sanusi were contacted as at press time, but they did not respond to telephone calls or messages on the matter.

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