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By Amaechi Agbo

The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF is yet to pay the senior female national team, Super Falcons their 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup appearance fees, Bestchoicesports.com.ng can report.

Bestchoicesports.com.ng reliably gathered that 4 months after the ladies reached the Round of 16 at the 8th edition of the tournament, the players are yet to be paid their appearance fees.

This paper learnt that this is coming after the NFF promised to pay the players in September last two months, a promise our sources said was never honoured.

A source who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that the NFF officials promised the players and coaches that the 30% of the appearance fee will be paid in September, a promise the source added that the Glass House reneged on.

“They promised to pay us our appearance fee in September but up till now we have not heard from them. I do not know what is going on but this is not right.

“I know of countries that have received their appearance fees and have paid their players and officials but our own, I do not really understand,” the source said.

Bestchoicesports.com.ng findings indicate that countries such as France and Sweden have all gotten their appearance fees and players and coaches rightfully paid.

A player who spoke to our correspondent on this development said that as at September, France and Sweden have been paid adding “I am sure of France, they have received their pay. Sweden have also gotten theirs. The last time I chatted with players from Sweden, that was in September, they told me that the Swedish federation has asked them to submit their bank account details for payment of the appearance fee. So those are the two countries I know,” she said.

This is not the first time NFF is owing players particularly the senior female national team. It could be recalled that the players had threatened to leave camp ahead of the tournament in France due to backlog of unpaid match bonuses and allowances.

The development led to several of the senior players including captain Desire Okparanozie being unceremoniously dropped from the team and captain armband stripped from her.

When contacted on phone, the NFF Secretary-General, Mohammed Sanusi could not confirm if NFF had received the FIFA appearance fee and declined further comment.

Asked whether the federation has received the money, Sanusi said “I do not think so.”