In the midst of a contentious pay dispute between the Nigerian Women’s team, Super Falcons, and the country’s football association, Ian Wright, a notable voice has spoken out in support of the players. The Arsenal legend has taken to social media to lend his voice to the ongoing struggle for the Super Falcon ladies’ payment. The controversy revolves around the non-payment of tournament match bonuses and other contentious issues that have been simmering beneath the surface of Nigerian women’s football.
The conflict escalated after FIFA announced that all players participating in the group stages of the tournament would receive approximately £15,760. However, separate payments following each of Nigeria’s group games against Canada, Australia, and Ireland were supposed to be in addition to this sum. This decision sparked frustration among the Super Falcons, and they even contemplated going on strike before their opening match against Canada.
The pay dispute has brought to light several long-standing grievances faced by the Nigerian women’s team, as voiced by their manager Randy Waldrum. He has been critical of the treatment of the players, including complaints about unpaid wages, inadequate travel arrangements, and the sudden cancellation of a pre-tournament camp ahead of the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
In response to the situation, the Nigerian squad sought the support of the global players’ union, FIFPRO. The aim was to draw attention to the challenges they were facing and advocate for better conditions and compensation. Manager Randy Waldrum expressed his frustrations over the lack of support from the Nigerian Football Federation, citing the insufficient time for preparation leading up to the World Cup.
“Pay them @thenff!!!!!!”, stated Ian Wright in a tweet, lending his voice of support for the Super Falcon ladies.
In conclusion, the Nigerian Super Falcons’ struggle for fair pay and support has garnered support from the Arsenal legend, who has joined the chorus demanding NFF to pay the ladies.
