Nigeria’s Falconets have been pictured in disturbing photos sleeping on chairs and the floors at Istanbul airport, Turkey, while on their way back home from the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup.
This comes barely 48 hours after they crashed out of the ongoing FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica.
The two times FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finalists left Costa Rica on Monday, August, 22, at 6:30 am (Nigerian Time). Following their arrival in Turkey, the squad were left stranded at the Istanbul Airport for 24 hours.
Veteran sports journalist, Collins Udoh, who shared the photos on Instagram, wrote: “Nigeria’s #Falconets have been travelling from Costa Rica since 6:30 am on Monday. They’re now in Istanbul on a 24-hour layover and sleeping on the airport chairs and floor, or wherever they can find.”
However, the General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, refuted the claims.
He said the Falconets missed their flight from Istanbul, Turkey to Nigeria, adding that it was the airline’s fault.
He told the Punch that claims of the Falconets being stranded were mischievous and misleading.
“By the time they arrived in Istanbul, the connecting Turkish Airline flight that was supposed to convey them from Turkey to Abuja had left and the Falconets had to wait for the next flight.”
Sanusi said the Falconets had finally boarded a flight to Abuja.
