U17:AC wants MRI scandal investigated

By Semiu Osho

Reactions have continued to pour in over the age scandal rocking the Golden Eaglets. The the Action Congress(AC) has called for an investigation into the problem.

The Eaglets’ preparation have been marred by age controversies after it emerged that some of the players in the national U-17 camp failed the Magnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI)scan, which was meant to determine whether they are within the age limit for the cadet competition.

According to statement issued in Lagos, on Sunday, by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, the party said it was particularly shocking and disappointing that the discovery occurred with just about two months to the World Cup, to be hosted by Nigeria, giving the country little or no time to replace the over aged players.

AC said the implication is that Nigeria will send a makeshift team to the competition, with the result that it faces a first round elimination from a tournament that is costing the country’s taxpayers billions of Naira to stage.

“Even with the best team that is adequately prepared, Nigeria faces an uphill task in the competition, having been zoned into the ‘group of death’ with Germany, Argentina and Honduras in the round-robin first round.

“Now with the possibility that Nigeria will field a makeshift team at best, the country stands no chance in the forthcoming tournament. This will be a shame of international proportion and we need to fish out those responsible for selecting the team and slam them with appropriate sanctions to prevent a recurrence,” the AC said, adding that football is too important to Nigeria as a source of unity.

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Reader Comments (1)

Posted by Sanny on Aug 25 2009

Investigate wetin...na everything u dey investigate?....please dont insult our intelligence..Is it a surprise news to us? We all Nigerians knows that we have been using over aged players in tournament and that has contributed to the decline in our football development, It is time we realise that we can not continue to fool ourselves and the rest of the world. Other countries build their football development on youths but we Nigerians( like our leaders)are looking for way to cheating the rest of the world by using over aged players that cant not perform long when they are signed in to standard leagues because age is not on their side. Most Nigerians know that most of our players are all... i mean all over aged players. So MR. AC, please face your politic well. Sanny London.