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Nigerian president suspends football team from int'l matches

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-07-01 01:41

ABUJA - Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan had suspended the country's national football team from any international matches for two years, a spokesman with the presidency said Wednesday.

The decision came as the country's national football team, the Super Eagles' woeful performance in the ongoing World Cup, staged for the first time in Africa.

Special Coverage: 2010 FIFA World Cup

Nigeria came last with one point in the group stage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Presidential spokesman Ima Niboro told reporters in Abuja that the president's action is to enable the country to re-organize its national football.

The decision followed the recommendations submitted by the Presidential Task Force on the 2010 World Cup, which was headed by Rivers State's governor Rotimi Ameachi.

"We recommended to Mr. President, which he has approved that we formally write FIFA to say that Nigeria will not engage in any international competition for the next two years so that when we reorganize Nigeria Football and train higher coaches and all that and come out to any competition, will be to the delight of the nation," Ameachi told reporters.

The country will officially communicate the decision to FIFA, the world football governing body.

The president also ordered that audit be undertaken of the finances of the World Cup project, and any perceived misapplication of fund should be investigated.