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Coach Adegboye Onigbinde has advised the new leadership under Ambassador Chris Giwa not to be intimidated with a FIFA ban on Nigeria in view of the latest developments. Even if there is a FIFA ban, we need it. It may be a blessing in disguise.
In a telephone interview, the former Super Eagles coach said, “ordinarily, FIFA does not have the right to dictate to member nations on matters of internal administration where elections fall into. If you read the defence that FIFA put up in the Court of Arbitration on Sports (CAS) in the Adama Yahaya and Obinna Ogba case, it was clearly stated.”
According to Chief Onigbinde: “I am 80. I don’t need any appointment. The truth is our football is in the doldrums. This is a great opportunity to get things done right. I don’t care if we are banned by FIFA. If we are banned over the crisis and we use the one or two years to reposition and sanitise our football, then let it be.”
“My interest is on how we can grow the game in the country and not whether FIFA bans us or not. If it takes the ban for us to get it right, I think I strongly support that,” he said.
“Check out the state of our league. It is sad. Do we have any real football development plan for our youths and children? See our national teams are in shambles. Nobody who love our football will be happy with the fact that things are not in proper place.
If this is the window we can have to fix the fallen panels, why not. Ambassador Giwa, I believe, will lead a good path if what he did with his Giwa FC was anything to go by. He is the first club owner who funded what he believes in to come after Colonel Abdulmumini Aminu.
We need a good, reliable and independent football justice system in our sports and football. So long as people cannot get justice within the system, they will always go to the regular court. The moment the Pinnick people went on appeal against the decision of the Federal High Court, that was when they have submitted their jurisdiction to the court. Article 1.1 of the NFF Statute is also very clear on this. So, what concerns FIFA? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”
Courtesy of Gong News.
