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Odion Ighalo’s Saudi Arabian club side, Al-Shabab have exonerated themselves from blames for the withdrawal of the forward from the Super Eagles squad for the 2022 African Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
Megasportsarena.com reports that the club’s Director of Professionalism, Majid Al-Marzouki, speaking on a local television channel, Al Arabiya, blamed the Nigeria Football Federation for the player’s inability to join up with the rest of the team.
Al-Shabab said the player wasn’t released for the tournament because the Nigeria Football Federation sent his invitation letter late, not within the period specified by FIFA for sending players’ call-up letters.
“We did not prevent the player from joining, but his invitation letter did not reach us within the period specified by FIFA for receiving the players’ call-up letters,” the club said.
“The FIFA Player Status Regulations stipulates that the local federation must notify the player and his club in writing of his summon 15 days before the start of the tournament, and it is advised to send a copy to the local federation of the club as well, which did not happen, and accordingly the coach told us that the player continues with us and will not join his team.
“There are no negotiations between us and the Nigerian Federation, and the player is committed to the decision, the situation is settled”.
The Super Eagles are already in Garoua, Cameroon, where they will square up against Egypt in their first game of the tournament on January 11.
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