Unpaid bonuses : Falcons threaten to boycott AWCON •‘NFF preparing team well for competition’

It has been revealed that the Super Falcons may shun participation in the upcoming 10th Africa Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) in Cameroon from November 19 to December 3.

The title holders are pitched in Group B together with arch-rivals Ghana, Mali and newcomers Kenya.

According to a source who disclosed to supersport.com, the players are not happy that the football body, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has not deemed it necessary to settle, as promised, the side’s outstanding qualifying match allowances and bonuses.

“The players are unhappy that to date the NFF has only paid N10, 000 qualifying bonuses to each of the players to enable them to travel back to their respective homes after April’s successful qualifying match against the Teranga Lionesses of Senegal in Abuja.

“The NFF had cited financial challenges, promising to pay their bonuses and allowances soon but that’s yet to see the light of day.

“They want all the outstanding allowances paid forthwith or they will stay away from the upcoming Africa Women Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

“They are not happy that NFF has continued to treat them as outcasts compared with the male counterparts, Super Eagles who were handsomely rewarded with four and five thousand dollars respectively for a draw and win in the failed 2017 AFCON qualifying campaign.

“They have told whoever that cares to listen that their presence in camp as well as training for the championship should not be misconstrued as weakness or evidence of their preparedness to participate in the biennial football competition.

“They said the country is in for a big shock unless the federation does the needful by quickly paying off their backlog of match bonuses.

“The players said they are ready to cooperate with the head coach, Florence Omagbemi, to successfully defend the African title but on condition that their arrears of bonuses are paid forthwith,” said the unnamed source to supersport.com.

But while reacting, Dayo Olu Ibidapo, of the Communications Department of the NFF said: “Our Falcons have been training and are getting ready for the AWCON and the Federation [NFF] on its part, despite the issues of funding, is working hard to ensure all national teams are well prepared for their different competitions,” he revealed.

The Omagbemi-tutored side spent over a month in the successful execution of the 2016 AWCON campaign.

Falcons are equally yet to be paid last year’s Olympic qualifying campaign against Mali under former handler, Edwin Okon.

The domestic players are already in camp sweating it out under the guidance of head coach Omagbemi while the overseas imports, Rita Chikwelu, Ngozi Okobi, Faith Ikidi, Ngozi Ebere, Evelyn Nwabuoku, Desire Oparanozie, Francisca Ordega and Asisat Oshoala, are being expected.

Falcons will kick-start their title defence on Sunday, November 20, against West African foes Mali at the 20 000-seater Limbe Omnisports Stadium before they take on perennial rivals Ghana on November 23 and newcomers Kenya on November 26.