Did you guys hear of NFA's latest f*ck up? About Obafemi Martins?

It made headline news in Italy:

Quanti anni ha Oba Oba?
02 08 2005

In rete circola da diversi giorni un piccolo mistero intorno alla data di nascita di Oba Martins.

Secondo quanto riportarto dalla scheda del giocatore, sul sito dalla Federazione Calcio Nigeriana, Oba Oba sarebbe nato l'1/5/1978, all'anagrafe avrebbe quindi 27 anni. Ben sei anni in più di quanto, invece, viene riportato dal sito ufficiale dell'Inter secondo il quale il suo campione è nato il 28/10/1984.

La scheda di Martins (fonte: Federcalcio nigeriana)
Si attendono smentite o conferme su questo mistero. E' comunque lecito porsi il dubbio sulla reale età del centravanti nigeriano che potrebbe nascere da un semplice errore di aggiornamento. La cosa divertente infatti è che, ben tre giocatori della nazionale africana, sono nati nello stesso giorno di Martins secondo il sito della federcalcio nigeriana.

Certo è che, se Martins non avesse gli anni dichiarati, potrebbe rivelarsi un grave danno economico per la società nerazzurra che vedrebbe svalutarsi il valore di mercato del centravanti. In ogni caso complimenti a Oba Oba perchè i suoi anni li porta bene..

Basicaly it says that on the NFA website it says that Martins was born on 1/5/1978, - 27 years while Inter's website says 28/10/1984.

NFA is full of incompetent fools!

What kind of site is this? http://www.nigeriafa.com ?

Then look at the offending page: http://www.nigeriafa.com/eagles%20players.htm

Notice the discrepancy about Seyi Olofinjana?

They have given Garba Lawal and Martins the same date of birth as Isaac Okoronkwo. In real life (not NFA's site), Lawal was born in 1973. You can also read on the website that Julius Aghahowa was born on the 121st of February.

Can you imagine? I am so pissed off!!!

This has got to ba a scam, coz i dont c NFA making this kind of "mistake", is that site the authentic NFA site, if so, someone did it intentionally.

i heard that zidane, thuram and makalele are back for the french team, does it mean that without these guys, they are not sure of making it to the WC, i guess we should not be skeptical bout calling back oliseh afterall.

i think someone actually hacked that site.....besides that site does not loook authentic

and i don't think NFA would actually make that mistake...

someone hacked the site..i know someone did...

Yeah right someone hacked the site...

Bullsh1t!

Nigeria FA (NFA) chairman Ibrahim Galadima says he regrets "the administrative lapse" which has raised doubts about Obafemi Martins age.

According to the NFA website, the Inter Milan striker was born on 1 May 1978 but the player's passport states his date of birth as 28 October 1984.

"I can understand why the player is angry and frustrated with us," Galadima told BBC Sport on Thursday.

"But the date of 28 October 1984 is what we have in our official records. We have tried to reach him but we haven't been able to speak to him yet.

"The NFA has its shortcomings and lapses but that's not to say people should not go deeper to see what's happening," he said without elaborating.

In what some will interpret as a classic case of passing the buck, Galadima claimed that his administration has nothing to do with the NFA website.

"The website was commissioned by the former NFA secretary general Taiwo Ogunjobi. But it has not been handed over to us."

Galadima said the website's password is still with the person who built it because he has not been paid for his work.

But when contacted by BBC Sport, Ogunjobi described Galadima's comments as "unfortunate".

He said: "I cannot make any categorical statement on the whole affair until Friday."

That repsonse by Galadima is a classic example of the buck-passing that categorises the NFA. It is pitiful!

Update: The fools have finally released the guy who designed the site, but the situation as at press time still remains the same...

1) They haven't paid the blighter a kobo
2) The site is still online as it was when the offensive story broke
3) Galadima and co refuse to acknowledge that they gave the boy the data he put online