Samson Siasia, the former head coach of Nigeria’s U23 football team, has refuted claims made by John Obi Mikel regarding the payment of flight tickets for the Nigerian team’s journey to the 2016 Rio Olympics. The flight referred to is specifically the flight from Atlanta, USA to Brazil where they had camped for their Olympic preparations.
Aside Siasia, Mr Bunmi Jinadu, a Nigerian resident in the USA who was said to have liaised with Delta Airlines for the team’s final flights has also said this week that the flight was provided for free by the American airlines and so it could not have been paid by anyone.
Mikel, who was the team captain and also a former Super Eagles captain, had disclosed in a podcast hosted by former England international Peter Crouch that he personally paid for the flight tickets for the U23 Eagles to Rio Olympic Games. On the same platform, Mikel stated that the Nigeria Football Federation had not made any refund nearly nine years after the Games.
Mikel said, “There was no money to pay for the flight, for most of these players, it is their first time going for a major tournament. So I thought, why not? We got there and to this day, I still have not received reimbursement.”
Crouch, who was shocked by Mikel’s revelation, noted, “Wait, so you got a medal and have still not been paid?” And Mikel confirmed, “Nope.”
In response, Siasia clarified the situation in an interview with Nigerian journalist Callistus Ebare of AIT, stating, “Mikel Obi did not pay any flight money for the Olympic Eagles from the United States to Brazil for the 2016 Olympics. Nothing like that.”
He went on to explain that although there were indeed issues related to hotel expenses, Mikel was not responsible for the flight costs.
Siasia added that Delta Air Lines provided the transportation after concerns were raised by Nigerians in the US regarding the situation. A friend of Siasia’s, he revealed, intervened with Delta’s chairman to resolve the matter.
Siasia added, “Yemi Idowu had earlier paid for the team’s flight tickets, but the aircraft was too small. Mikel did not pay for any flight tickets of the team. I say this as the head coach of the team then.”
He then challenged Mikel to produce receipts if he indeed covered the flight costs.
Olubunmi Jinadu who also spoke with Callistus Ebare in a separate interview said, “I was in the team that worked with the CEO of Delta (Airlines) to arrange it. That video has not been publicized because it is an internal thing. It was Delta taking that responsibility after my interview.
“But I can help the Nigerian football circle clear all questions. I am not for one throwing anybody under the bus; I don’t do that. If Mikel has said that that he personally paid for the tickets then he should prove it to you guys; he can easily prove that with evidence. Number two, not discounting Mikel Obi doing something, he probably did some other things but whatever he did wasn’t that (buying the tickets for the team).
“Delta can prove it and I can do that that too.”
The Nigerian U23 team at the end won a bronze medal in the football event at the 2016 Olympics. It was indeed the only medal the entire Nigerian contingent to the Games won.
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