The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has refuted allegations of negligence and unprofessional conduct in the withdrawal of Spain-based forward Sadiq Umar from the Super Eagles squad for the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire. Umar was replaced by Trabzonspor’s forward, Paul Onuachu, after sustaining an injury.
The controversy arose when a video surfaced on social media showing Umar training individually in Spain after his return, leading to criticism of the NFF. In response, the NFF’s communication department released a statement on Tuesday, asserting that Umar’s case was professionally handled by the medical team.
According to the statement, Umar arrived at the camp in good condition, underwent standard medical assessments, and sustained a knee injury during a friendly match against Guinea. Despite being advised to be substituted, Umar insisted on playing the entire match. Upon returning to Spain, he experienced swelling in his knee, worsening during the team’s travel to Abidjan for the tournament.
The NFF emphasized that their medical team followed appropriate procedures, consulting a knee surgeon in Spain before deciding to withdraw Umar from the squad. The statement clarified that Umar actively participated in the decision-making process and initiated his rehabilitation with the Super Eagles’ physiotherapist before returning to his club in Spain.
The NFF expressed surprise at the misinformation circulating on social media and reaffirmed the competence of their medical team, stating, “We will not allow anyone to rubbish our collective responsibility as Team Nigeria to this Africa Cup of Nations championship.”
