FIFA stifle Nigerian football reform

As you may or may not know, your humble editor is also the African football correspondent for the prestigious FourFourTwo. In my latest column I turned my attentions to Nigeria and the battle to reform the country’s football administration after a less than satisfactory World Cup 2010 for the Super Eagles. FIFA last week banned Nigeria from international competition for “government interference” before reinstating them within a matter of days. What’s that all about then?

I look at the ways in which FIFA’s stance on government interference stifles genuine reform in countries with *ahem* questionable football federations. An excerpt:

In the three months since the World Cup ended, Nigerian football has seen a board sacked, elections held and then suspended, new board members elected and then refused position, committees established and then put on hold, claims and counter-claims, litigations, accusations, complaints and enough sniping, back-biting and bureaucratic posturing to fill another ten seasons of low-budget American political drama.

Have a read:

A very unhappy anniversary for Nigeria.

African Cup of Nations 2012, African Football, FIFA, Nigeria, Politics and Society