SUPER Falcons captain Onome Ebi has denied reports that the players were planning to boycott training and their opening FIFA Women’s World Cup match over unpaid allowances and bonuses.
The nine-time African champions are currently in Australia preparing for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which kicks off on July 20, with their first match scheduled for July 21 against Canada in Melbourne.
The tournament will run from July 20 to August 20, with Australia and New Zealand as co-hosts.
There was a report yesterday that the players were in dispute with the Nigeria Football Federation over a payment row, days after Falcons head coach Randy Waldrum blasted the body for not funding proper preparations.
“I have no idea where that (boycott report) is coming from. We (the players) never had any such conversations as regards that; we are good with training and ready for the World Cup,” the NFF media department quoted Ebi as saying at the team’s training camp in Gold Coast, Australia today.
The 40-year-old defender, who is featuring in an African record sixth Women’s World Cup, added that the team were focused on their Group B fixtures against Olympic champions Canada, co-hosts Australia and debutants Republic of Ireland.
“The sessions have been intense, motivating and okay. The girls are in good shape, good spirit and ready to go. The training speaks for itself as regards the mood in camp because this is what I bargained for,” Ebi said.
“The players are meeting up with physical and tactical aspects of training; the mood is okay.”
The Super Falcons are indeed not new to boycotting training over payment rows, the team causing a stir at the last Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco last July when they sat out training in protest over unpaid entitlements.
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