Nigeria U-17 World Cup in doubt

Nigeria may be forced to quit as hosts of the 2009 Under-17 World Cup, after the country's government said it cannot afford to provide the money needed to stage the competition.

The Nigerian government decided that the $30 million required was not seen as a priority.

Nigeria President Umaru Yar'Adua told his cabinet last week that he is not convinced that hosting the tournament in November of next year will help develop the country's sports.

"It is clear that hosting the competition, as prestigious as it may appear, is not a priority of government and the president has made it clear he would not fund any project that is not a priority," a government official said.

Yar'Adua said Nigeria faced more pressing budgetary needs and told the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the tournament to turn to the private sector for most of its funding.

Nigerian officials, including Sports Minister Hassan Gimba, are already in Zurich to discuss the hosting of the biennial tournament with Fifa.

Fifa had praised Nigeria's preparations for the tournament in June after its last inspection visit.

However, the issue of funding had not been in doubt at the time.

LOC official Tijani Ahmed Shuaibu said his organisation would discuss the budget with Fifa.

"Most international competitions run on money from private companies with the government only providing the infrastructure like stadiums. Nigeria's case should not be different," said Shuaibu.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/7684370.stm

Nigeria's Football Federation (NFF) has told Fifa it wants to pull out of hosting the Under-17 World Cup in 2009.
The Nigerian government had already said that funding the $30 million budget was not a priority.
Now the BBC understands that the NFF has already renounced the right to host the global event.
The president of CAF, Issa Hayatou, has responded by saying he is "extremely disappointed and shocked" by the move.
In a letter seen by the BBC, Mr Hayatou reminded the NFF that only African countries had been able to bid for the event because of the senior World Cup in South Africa 2010.
"The decision ,  is embarrassing not only for CAF but for the whole African continent," he wrote.
He called on Nigeria to change its mind.
"We count on your wisdom to review this decision since Nigeria, as one of the football powerhouses of the African continent, is one of the countries which can make Africa proud whenever hosting world sporting events."
Nigeria are the current Under-17 World Champions, having triumphed in South Korea last year.
World football's governing body Fifa says that the matter may be discussed on Friday at an executive committee meeting, while the NFF have been unavailable for comment.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/7687611.stm

Its shameful if the likes of Peru can host an Under-17 World Cup and Nigeria the self-proclaimed giant dwarf of Africa can't host we have just succeeded in becoming the laughing stock of CAF and even FIFA

A-40:

Its shameful if the likes of Peru can host an Under-17 World Cup and Nigeria the self-proclaimed giant dwarf of Africa can't host we have just succeeded in becoming the laughing stock of CAF and even FIFA

"The likes of"?

See you mouth?

You are comparing Peru to Nigeria?

If Peru is 3rd World, Nigeria is 5th world.

Gaddamn!!!

Silly, shocking arrogance of Nigerians.

Likes of my arse!