Ahead of Tuesday’s return leg of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification match between Nigeria and Egypt in Alexandria, the Egyptian embassy in Abuja have reportedly denied members of the Nigerian Supporters Club entry visas.
This has drawn condemnation from the President General of the Nigerian Football and Other Sports Supporters Club, Dr. Rafiu Ladipo.
“This decision by the Egyptian embassy is embarrassing and can’t help football to grow. It was a deliberate act to deny us the visas because we’ve submitted our passports over a week ago to their home office, they told us that they were going to confirm from their main office in Egypt. But as I am speaking to you now they didn’’t give us the visas; and they are equally withholding our passports,” Ladipo told Sahara reporters on Monday.
“I raised this alarm last Thursday that the embassy are trying to play pranks, now they have done the worse. When my secretary and some other members visited their office there was nobody to attend to them, except the securities at the gate, the chartered aircraft is about leaving for Egypt now; and which means no member of the supporters will travel to Egypt. And the most annoying thing now is that they refused to release our passports.
Ladipo further decried the lack of sportsmanship from the Egyptians and threatened to take the issue to the Confederation of African Football, Caf.
“As the president of supporters club in Africa, we are going to lodge a proper complain to CAF and FIFA on this matter, but again, one thing I can assure you is that they would be beaten at home come Tuesday Insha Allah.”
Nigeria presently sit on the brink following Chad’s decision to pull out of the competition, as only the group winners can now qualify for the tournament in Gabon.
