Rivers State Commissioner for Sports and former board member of Nigeria Football Federation, Chris Green, in an interview with CHARLES OGUNDIYA has said the Super Eagles players are currently traumatized after the inhuman experience they went through in the hands of Libyan authority, during the ill-fated Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. Excerpt…
You have been in the same shoes as the Super Eagles leading Rivers United to Libya for a CAF competition, who is to be blamed?
I will lay the blames on the shores of CAF. Definitely, definitely. There’s no two ways about it. They should take the blame because they have no idea what they are supposed to do.
And if we continue this way, I’ll call for a total boycott of games concerning countries that would behave like this. It’s quite unsporting and should be discouraged in all ramifications. This is not football. This is happening under the nose of CAF.
They will not say they don’t see or they have not been hearing what’s been going on. We have written letters, we have done a lot of things in the past.
Can you tell us your experience with Rivers United?
In the case of Rivers United, when we went there in 2022, we knew the antics, we knew they were going to behave like this. Especially when we have to play the second leg there, we defeated them in Nigeria by four goals to nothing. So I knew that they were going to do that.
But we were step ahead of them because we really planned ahead of the game and ensure to beat them in their own game plan. When we got into Benghazi, they actually didn’t prepare for us. And so we had all preparation immediately we arrived into Benghazi, and from Benghazi we went to our hotel.
But what they now did was, after knowing that we have beaten them to their games, going ahead of them in every angle, they resulted into physical abuse, waiting for us at the stadium. We were manhandled, physically, but we try to shield our players.
We didn’t ask our players to come out from the dressing room because when they came out the first time, they chased them, and we now said, look, let’s take the beating for them. Do you understand me? So we took the beating and put our way back. They seized our camera, seized the GM’s phone. But again, we have to thank God for the rescue.
The centre referee from Ethiopia, later came to our aid and said he will not continue the game, meaning they are going to forfeit the points, that was when they now change their attitude and we now have a peaceful atmosphere for the game to be played. It was only at that time that they started pleading with us to come into the field.
We now got into the field to play with some lacerations and swellings here and there on our official board members. And we told our players, that is it, don’t worry about it, there’s no warming up, just play the game. They now resulted to throwing smoke, bangers and all what not into the field of play.
Once there was a shot towards our goalkeeper, they threw a banger. They sent fireworks, they sent smoke, and they use the laser and everything. But as God will have it, we came out with 1-1 draw and qualified to the group stage.
Would you say the NFF should have been more proactive?
It’s quite unfortunate, but again too, I will say the NFF should have been more vocal after what was said in the news immediately after the game in Uyo.
They have been saying a lot of things, sending threats here and there, it would have been a case of Nigeria writing CAF and if CAF didn’t do anything, they should contact FIFA.
I hope you understand what I mean. You know, I think that would have, we would like to say, stop some of these things. Well, they just took everything for granted. I think it’s a normal thing, you know?
You don’t do things like that, you know? So I condemn, I condemn what the Libyan did. I condemn it in all ramifications and there must be a serious sanction this time around, not just Libya alone, but all other countries that always involve in such antics.
There was a release by CAF that they have sent the case to the disciplinary committee, do you think that was the right step?
That is not the right thing to do, they should have taken a decision immediately and later send it to the disciplinary committee for ratification and probably an appeal.
This is not a decision to take time on, it should have been a forfeiture of the game by the Libyan team and then the disciplinary committee can now look into it.
What do you think this would have done to the psyche of the players as most of them have not experienced such in their career?
They should be terrified now. You understand me. They have been intimidated enough. They should be terrified because they’re not used to such, they’ve not faced this kind of situation before.
They are not even in right condition to play at the moment, not even just this match, but play very soon because what they have experienced is a very difficult one.
I am sure they will be scared in the nearest future to return to that country and per adventure, I repeat per adventure if they are going to replay the game, it should be at a neutral ground, if not, CAF should proceed to give Nigeria the three points and three goals.
The team already returned and at the moment back to their clubs, for you, what should be the decision?
The truth is this situation was premeditated, and whoever involved should be punished for it. They are the one that caused the disruption of the game and since they are responsible, they should be punished and serve as deterrent to others that’s have been doing same thing.
They are many within that hemisphere and they should all be call to pay for what they have done. Not only Libya, there are other countries too that are indulging in this kind of rubbish in that area.
Your club, Rivers United at the moment on fire, they have not lose a game, would you say the coming of someone like Finidi George helping the team?
We’re just doing our work. That’s the truth, you know? Right people, right places, right personnel, right coach and everything. That’s what we have been doing and we all can see the results at the moment.
Are we looking at Rivers United winning the league this season?
It’s a long way. It’s a marathon. Okay. We will continue to take it game after game and see where we end the campaign, but like I said, we still have a long way before coming to such conclusion.
