The Assistant National Coach of the Nigeria Amputee Football Federation (NAFF),Gbenga Dosumu, said on Tuesday that Nigeria’s non participation in international competitions was due to the federation indebtedness to the international body.
Dosumu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos that NAFF was in 2013 banned by the World Amputee Football Federation (WAFF) for failure to pay its annual affiliation fees.
He said that the unpleasant situation has kept the nation out of international activities for more than four years.
“The affiliation fee to the world body is an annual and obligatory requirement that the federation has failed to fulfil for the past five years, which has disorganised the sport in the country.
“It’s a pity that this sport is being handled by administrators that are not passionate and do not have the interest of the physically-disabled footballers at heart.
“Physically challenged athletes in this country are suffering a dearth of activities, we just try on our own to keep the sport alive by observing our regular training schedules.
“Nigeria did not attend the 2014 World Cup in Mexico.
“We did not also take part in the Cup of Africa Nations for Amputee Football (CANAF) due to affiliation fees problems,’’ he said.
According to him, due to lack of activities, some amputee football players have switched to other para-sports.
“Some of the football players have moved to other sports that suit them, while some are now commercial bus conductors and touts at bus stops,’’ he said.
The coach said that the situation had denied the country’s national team from featuring in international football fiestas, both at continental and intercontinental levels.
“The footballers show more commitment in training only when there are competitions that keep them engaged, and also help them to improve on their techniques and the wings,’’ he said.
Dosumu said that the world body was ready to reincorporate NAFF into its membership as soon as it pays all its outstanding affiliation fees.
“Our membership is redeemable but strictly on condition of the federation clearing all the backlog outstanding to WAFF, and the earlier the better, to save the sport from dying,’’ he said.
The coach, however, called on the board of NAFF to organise national tournaments to keep the players busy.
Dosumu said the future of the sport would be marred if adequate attention was not given to the poor state of the game in the country today.