The cold condition in Russia where the senior national team of Nigeria will take on their Argentina counterparts forced defender Leon Balogun to dress in an unusual style.
Mainz 05 defender Balogun who captained the team against Algeria on Friday dressed up in hand gloves and snood due to the freezing conditions in the Russian city of Krasnordar.
Balogun is however prohibited from using the fashionable snood on matchday as FIFA has banned players from using it in football matches as it could pose a potential danger to players’ neck.
The ban came into effect in 2011 when International FA Board (IFAB) used law 4 relating to players” equipment, to banish the snood. It says : A player must not use equipment or wear anything which is dangerous to itself or another player.
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter described the neck wear as something dangerous which is not akin to hanging someone few months before IFAB outlawed it.
Osas Mahawi
