Duro Ikhazuagbe
As reported by THISDAY Wednesday, Super Eagles Chief Coach, Salisu Yusuf, has been handed a one year ban from all football related activities and $5,000 fine by Nigeria Football Federation’s Ethics and Fair Play Committee.
The punishment is the fallout of the coach’s involvement in a sting operation in which he was filmed receiving $1,000 from undercover reporters posing as players’ agent.
The committee headed by former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) boss, Nuhu Ribadu, indicted the former Kano Pillars gaffer for accepting the cash gift of $1,000 offered by Tigers Player’s Agency, an undercover reporter, purportedly interested in acting on behalf of players Osas Okoro and Rabiu Ali, for their inclusion in the list of players for 2018 CHAN Competition in Morocco.
It also found as a fact that it was not an error of judgment on the part of Coach Salisu Yusuf but a conscious and deliberate decision to have accepted the cash gift of $1,000 from the decoy player agent/undercover reporter, purportedly interested in acting on behalf of Players Osas Okoro and Rabiu Ali, even though the evidence before the Committee did not establish that his conduct influenced the choice of the two players.
“That the two Players could have made the team to 2018 CHAN Competition in Morocco on the basis of their talent and performance.
“That Coach Salisu Yusuf did not accept the offer of 15% of the anticipated transfer fees of the said players, as there was no follow-up action on the promise.
“That the act of the Coach, which was widely published on the British Broadcasting Corporation, has a damaging effect on the reputation and integrity of Nigerian Football, as he ought to have conducted himself more professionally in line with the Code of Conduct signed alongside his Contract with the Nigeria Football Federation, as his conduct in public and in secret should be exemplary, since coaches are role models,” observed the NFF committee.
As also reported by THISDAY, NFF’s Integrity Unit headed by Dr Christian Emeruwa commenced preliminary investigation into the matter when the documentary showing Yusuf receiving the $ 1,000 was first aired by BBC. Emeruwa’s report formed the basis for the banning of the coach by the Ribadu-led Ethics Committee.
Yusuf was assistant to Gernot Rohr at the recent World Cup in Russia and led the Nigeria to the final of this year’s Championship of African Nations (CHAN) in Morocco.
Other members of the Committee include; Alhaji Mainasara Illo (Member), Reverend Justin Chidi Okoroji (Member) and Joshua Onoja (Secretary).
