NFF reportedly hijacks $390,000 gift to Dream Team VI by Japanese doctor

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NFF reportedly hijacks $390,000 gift to Dream Team VI by Japanese doctor

The nation’s football governing body, Nigerian Football Federation and the U-23 football team, otherwise known as Dream Team VI, are about to lock horns over a cash gift from a Japanese doctor.
Recall that a Japanese surgeon, Katsuya Takasu had announced a cash gift of $390,000 for the male football team that participated in the ongoing Olympic Games in Rio.

Takasu, who is said to be an ardent Nigerian football supporter made the donation to support the players who have been facing financial mess.


Interestingly, Takasu watched the match where the Dream Team defeated Honduras 3-2, to win the first official medal for the country in the ongoing competition on Saturday.

Takasu said the team coach, Samson Siasia, and its captain, Mikel Obi, should each take $200,000 and $190,000, respectively.

However, indications emerged Saturday afternoon that some NFF officials had ‘hijacked’ the process and demanded that Mr. Takasu must hand the money to them for onward disbursement to team members.

Idah Peterside, a sports analyst and former goalkeeper for the Super Eagles, was the first person to raise the alarm on social media.


“More trouble in the dream team camp….the money from the Japanese man to the dream team has been hijacked by the NFA (he meant NFF),” Mr. Petersaid tweeted.

“They want to use the money to pay the coaches as salaries. Bitrus Bewarang was sent to get the money from the Japanese, but the players say it’s their money”, he added.

But the NFF denied the allegations, saying it took over the process because it wanted the funds to be routed through appropriate channels.

“The NFF has not collected any money from Japanese plastic surgeon, Dr. Katsuya Takasu, as against the misinformation by Mr. Idah,” the NFF said in a post on its Twitter handle Saturday afternoon.

“Nigeria is a sovereign nation and such a donation must go through a process. If we get a go-ahead, it will go directly to the team,” Mr. Pinnick said.

“To say NFF has ‘hijacked’ the money is outright mischief. The checks must be concluded and we are given a go-ahead to collect by the government”, he added.