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Former Super Eagles head coach, Sunday Oliseh, has accused the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) of keeping $1 million received from FIFA.
During an appearance on the Home Turf podcast, Oliseh stated that the amount was a reward for Nigeria's qualification for the 2002 World Cup.
He mentioned that there was an agreement to divide the funds equally, with one half designated for the players.
However, the NFF decided to disband the team and retained the entire sum.
Oliseh explained: “As we were preparing for the (2002) World Cup, we had an agreement. $1 million was to be received from FIFA, and we agreed to split it 50-50. You take $500,000 and we take $500,000.”
“The $500,000 was intended to be distributed among the 30 players who participated in the qualifiers, amounting to around $18,000 each.”
“However, the only way the players would receive their share is if I was present to ensure my teammates got what was owed to them.”
“To secure that money, the NFF sidelined me and my assistant captain, Finidi George.”
“We qualified for the finals, but they disbanded the team. They ensured we did not receive our share.”
“Of the team that participated in that World Cup, 80% had not played in the qualifiers. This means they were not entitled to a share of that money.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Sunday Oliseh accuse the NFF of?
He accused the NFF of pocketing $1 million received from FIFA as a reward for Nigeria's qualification for the 2002 World Cup.
How was the money supposed to be shared?
The agreement was to split the $1 million equally, with $500,000 going to the NFF and the remaining $500,000 to be shared among the 30 players who participated in the qualifiers.
What happened to the team after they qualified?
After qualifying for the World Cup, the NFF disbanded the team, preventing the players from receiving their share of the money.
