Sports

BREAKING: Libya Reportedly Asks Hotels to Deny Accommodation to Nigerian Team as Players Refuse to Compete

Published by Tope Fakinlede on October 14th, 2024.

BREAKING: Libya Reportedly Asks Hotels to Deny Accommodation to Nigerian Team as Players Refuse to Compete

The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has reported that their delegation for Tuesday’s 2025 AFCON qualifier against Libya remains stranded at Al Abraq Airport, over 12 hours after arriving in Libya.

In an unexpected turn of events, the chartered ValueJet flight was diverted to this smaller airport, which primarily serves hajj operations, just as it was nearing Benghazi. This diversion has raised concerns about safety.

Exhausted players and officials are frustrated after the Libyan Football Federation failed to provide any reception team or transportation to their hotel, located about three hours away in Benghazi. Although the NFF had arranged for vehicles, the change in flight plans disrupted those arrangements.

The NFF attempted to secure hotel accommodations near the airport but found that every hotel contacted had been instructed not to accept Nigerian guests. Efforts by the aircraft crew to find lodging met with the same response.

Interestingly, while the captain of the plane was offered a room due to his North African nationality, he declined and chose to return to the airport with the crew to sleep on the plane instead.

As a result of these circumstances, players have decided against participating in the match, while NFF officials are now working on plans to return the team to Nigeria.