Many football loving people on planet earth spent all of this past Monday waiting in anxious anticipation of a verdict by world soccer governing body, FIFA, over Nigeria’s protest against DR Congo.
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The petition by Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) alleged that DRC used players with questionable nationality during their 2026 World Cup play-off victory over the Super Eagles in November.
Alarmingly, nothing was forthcoming from FIFA throughout Monday … as we all ended up waiting for Godot, and it turned into another spectacle of speculation about ‘the second coming.’ Later, same Monday, a hint emerged that the FIFA Council would finally make the much-awaited pronouncement the following day.
Another long wait in tepid expectation and taut anticipation ensued, yet FIFA again kept mute. Hope for another respite still came via FIFA’s annual report on matters ongoing at the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS). Yet again, mum was the word from FIFA.
Alarmingly, the waiting game continues, and the delay from FIFA persists, despite confirmation that the NFF actually officially submitted their petition over a month ago. That leaves one wondering: Why is FIFA playing a waiting game with such a crucial matter?
Why is the global body taking this matter with levity? This delay is quite uncharacteristic of FIFA, which is known to be decisive in such issues as this that concern the eligibility of players through nationality rules and processes. What then makes this one different?
Fortunately, I embarked on thorough research heading into the initially expected delivery of FIFA’s verdict on Monday. I was also privy to follow-up information about the FIFA Council taking up the matter the following day, as it was considered too weighty to be decided at committee level.
One very important factor that kept cropping up all through my checks was that ‘this is not just one of those cut and snap matters about the nationality of footballers.’ So, what makes it different?
The big difference of this petition lodged by the NFF is that it brings up unprecedented, terse, sensitive and controversial political implications.
Those points arise from the fact that the players under question have actually been declared ‘eligible’ by FIFA (after being cleared through normal administrative processes).
Conversely, the NFF has brought in a very cogent political angle, which egg heads in the global body know cannot be lamely swept under the carpet …
Other countries would also take advantage of the same loopholes that NFF has described as ‘fraudulent.’ Why not just doctor your documents and send them to FIFA to approve your players without the global body checking your entries between the lines?
So, kudos to the NFF for opening the eyes of FIFA to ‘a smart ploy’ by DRC to circumvent nationality regulations that are very relevant but had hitherto been overlooked. Why should FIFA clear someone who is not recognised as a ‘bonafide citizen’ of the country he/she is playing for?
At that point, we should say case closed. Wrong!! If you were to be from DR Congo, would you calmly accept a verdict from FIFA throwing your country out of the World Cup through the boardroom after winning on the field of play?
Surely you won’t take it lying low. You will first shout foul and blue murder, then raise allegations of favouritism – considering that Nigeria has a richer pedigree in football and look likely to represent Africa better at the Mundial than DRC.
So, someone in FIFA’s disciplinary, ethics and executive committees must have entreated, “We have to tred softly here. Let’s not be seen to have taken sides with one team against the other on account of the quality of players and the history they have. They may even accuse us of having been paid to arrive at a decision.”
As it were, either side that loses out would raise one cogent argument or the other. Nigeria would accuse FIFA of deliberately ignoring valid points that show laxities in DRC’s documentsf and then raise suggestions about powerful men from a rival African block succeeding with strong bias against Nigeria.
On the other hand, DRC would allege that the power of money, marketing issues, influences of betting, array of star players, historical achievements and performances at the recent Africa Cup of Nations swung the verdict in Nigeria’s favour.
With all these factors bound to be raised after whichever verdict comes forth from FIFA, someeone already stated ahead of the initial D-Day on Monday that this matter will drag all the way to CAS. So, if you were in the shoes of FIFA, would you rush into a decision that is sure to put you under intense heat?
Why not delay and wait for as long as possible? Maybe just a week to the intercontinental play-off, when it would be too late for any aggrieved FA to take the matter to CAS? Or, better still, call both parties to a discreet meeting and put the cards on the table, then reach an agreement in principle that the loser will not take the matter any further.
People who are vast in arbitration strategies know that ‘plea bargaining’ is a diplomatic style of settling thorny issues in a way that none of the feuding parties loses face. Is that they way FIFA will go? Time shall tell…
