Morocco have filed a petition to CAF questioning the eligibility of two players who played for the women’s team of Nigeria in the final of the WAFCON, which Nigeria won 3-2 on Saturday.
The host were two goals up going into the half time break , but a second half rally by the Nigerian team helped them to a 3-2 win, and also the title for the tenth time in their history.
Before the game, there was a protest lodged by Morocco on the eligibility of two of the Nigerian players in Ashleigh Plumptre and Michelle Alozie. Both players were born outside Nigeria but made the decision to play for Nigeria at senior level.
In their protest, Morocco say the manner of their switch of nationality is faulty citing some irregularities in their claims to be Nigerians. They expressly want Nigeria to lose the title by virtue of fielding both players in the tournament.
Plumptre was granted approval by FIFA to play for Nigeria in 2021 after it was established that her paternal grandfather is a Nigerian. Alozie’s case is more straightforward as he was born in the USA to immigrant parents from Nigeria.
Nigeria are however not losing sleep over the protest with a top member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) terming it as dead on arrival.
Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman
