Mikel Obi reveals he paid for Nigerian Olympic Team’s flight to Rio 2016
Former Super Eagles captain Mikel Obi has disclosed that he personally covered the cost of the Nigerian Olympic football team’s flight to Brazil for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
His revelation sheds light on the challenges and disorganization faced by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC).
In a recent podcast, Mikel Obi shared his experience, saying, “When I represented my country at the Olympics in Brazil, we were stuck waiting at the airport from morning till night because there was no plane to take us. There was a lot of behind-the-scenes fighting over who would pay for the flight.”
READ MORE: Nigerian stars Iwobi and Bassey return to Old Trafford for Premier League opener
He continued, “The FA didn’t want to cover the cost, and although the government had released the funds, the FA or whoever had control of the money refused to release it. So we waited all day with no flight in sight. I had to pay for the flight myself to get us to Brazil.”
Mikel’s comments highlight significant issues with the planning and organization of the Nigerian Olympic team’s trip. Despite the financial support promised by the government, logistical and administrative hurdles nearly jeopardized the team’s participation in the games.
The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winner’s intervention ensured that the team could compete without further delay, avoiding what could have been a major embarrassment for Nigerian football.
