NFF pardons FIFA, LOC over flag error
Nigeria Football Federation says it bears no grudge against FIFA or the 2014 World Cup Local Organising Committee for misrepresenting Nigeria at Thursday’s opening ceremony.
The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that the organisers of the soccer fiesta displayed the wrong flag while announcing Nigeria at the opening ceremony.
Instead of Nigeria’s flag, the Republic of Niger’s flag was projected at the middle of the pitch during the event.
Musa Amadu, the Secretary-General of the NFA, however, told NAN on telephone in Abuja on Friday that the error was not intentional.
“If they called Nigeria and they raised Niger’s flag, it’s not a matter I can address from here.
“People that were there saw it and I know they will talk to FIFA about it. LOC and FIFA made an honest mistake.
“I know they (FIFA and the 2014 World Cup LOC) will apologise for their mistakes and that should be the end of the matter.
“Like I said, FIFA and the LOC for the World Cup made an honest mistake and I know they will correct it.
“Nobody is above human mistake, except if there is any in Nigeria,’’ Amadu said.
NAN reports that Nigeria’s flag features three vertical stripes, with a white stripe sandwiched between two green stripes, while Niger’s flag features three horizontal stripes.
The top stripe is orange, which sat above a white stripe and a green stripe, with an orange circle in the middle of the white stripe.
Niger which did not qualify for the World Cup is placed 112 on the latest FIFA rankings, while Nigeria, the current African champion is ranked 44th.
(NAN)
