The Nigeria U17 team will compete at the U17 Africa Cup of Nations without the services of four of the midfielders who helped the team to win the WAFU B championship, OGN can exclusively reveal.
All four of them were at grade 4 when the Magnetic Imaging Resonance (MRI) test was carried out on the team. The lads fall within the grade limit of not more than 5 pegged by CAF but the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have their own policy on the grades.
NFF pegged the grades at four bearing in mind that players could hit the limit of five when tested at the tournament. The fear is taking players who are on five could see them jump to six and cost the team disqualification from the tournament.
However, coaches of the team have reached out to the hierarchy of the NFF to explain that other teams will be coming with players with grade 5 saying the decision not to allow players on that grade attend the tournament will weaken the Nigerian team.
Top chiefs at the NFF are however adamant on shifting grounds ahead of their trip to Germany for a training tour in preparation for the tournament, which is the qualifiers for the U17 World Cup.
Mohammed Mowiz
