By Photos of Nigeria’s Super Falconets sleeping at the airport in Istanbul, Turkey, have sparked outrage on social media.
It would be recalled that on Sunday, the team crashed out of the 2022 U-20 Women’s World Cup after losing to Netherlands in the quarterfinals.
Colin Udoh, a former media officer for the Super Eagles, disclosed on Wednesday morning that the Falconets have been traveling since Monday, sharing photos of the footballers sleeping at the airport.
“Nigeria’s #Falconets have been traveling from Costa Rica since 6:30am on Monday. They’re now in Istanbul on a 24-hour layover and sleeping on the airport chairs and floor, or wherever they can find. With no transit visa, they can’t leave the airport to get a hotel,” he wrote.
In the now-viral photos, the female footballers could be seen sleeping uncomfortably on chairs and the floors of the airport.
Reacting to the poor treatment of the Falconets, Nigerians have taken to social media, especially Twitter to condemn the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as well as the Federal Ministry of Sports.
@DejiAdesogan wrote, “Sports Ministry & NFF, so with 24 hours layover in Turkey and this girls have suffer this way! Same Falconets who represented Nigeria in #FIFAU20WWC. This is nothing but National Embarrassment, FG should sanction all the individuals involved in this show of shame. Disgusting scene.”
“This is so embarrassing. How’s this happening to people representing our country? Like, how?!! This is sooo sad,” tweeted @directordiji.
@adex277 asked, “Is it a curse to be a Nigerian? These girls represent their fatherland in international level and there is no proper planning for their journey, why all this absurd situation?”
@fvr_oljd lamented, “This is so sad. How do you encourage patriotism when people who give themselves for the country are treated like this?”
