Nigeria’s Enyimba FC may face penalties from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) if Al-Masry SC of Egypt successfully pursues a complaint against them.
A statement from Mohammed Mousa, a board member of Al-Masry, has been circulating among African sports stakeholders on WhatsApp, particularly as his team prepares for a Confederation fixture against Enyimba this Sunday.
Mousa, who serves on the board of the Port Said club and leads the club’s first football team, highlighted the challenges faced by his team during their journey to Nigeria.
He indicated that Al-Masry has opted to lodge a formal complaint with CAF regarding the conduct of Enyimba officials.
In his remarks to the press, Mousa stated, “We faced significant challenges upon our arrival in Nigeria and were met with an unwelcoming reception from Enyimba officials.”
He stated, “We took a domestic flight from Abuja to Uyo, but the management of the Nigerian club neglected our arrival. We were taken aback by the absence of buses to transport us to our accommodation, forcing us to wait an extended period at the airport until transportation was finally arranged.”
He expressed gratitude towards Ms. Samah Badawi, the Deputy Ambassador of Egypt to Nigeria, for her dedication in remaining with the delegation until all travel arrangements from Abuja to Uyo were finalized, and for her efforts in addressing the challenges we encountered.
He further remarked, “The management of Enyimba has inexplicably canceled our training ground reservation, and we have yet to receive any clarification regarding the numerous challenges we are facing from the Nigerian side ahead of the upcoming match.”
He concluded, “We have resolved to lodge a formal complaint against Nigeria with CAF and will strive to eliminate all obstacles hindering the team before the next match.”
Similar incidents were reported during MatchDays 3 and 4 of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches between Nigeria and Libya, which led to severe repercussions for the Libyan team, resulting in match forfeiture.
