Nigeria’s head coach to the Rio 2016 Olympics in Brazil, Samson Siasia, has dismissed claims by John Obi Mikel that he paid the flight tickets of the U-23 Eagles to Brazil for the games.
In a recent podcast hosted by former England international Peter Crouch, Mikel had claimed that those in charge of football in Nigeria have refused to refund him the money he spent on flight for the team to the Rio Olympics.
The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner explained that although the logistics were already included in the 2016 budget, top officials diverted the allocated funds meant for the team.
Even though the development happened in 2016, the 2012 UEFA Champions League winner with Chelsea said he is yet to be refunded.
“There is a story where you paid for everyone’s flight,” Crouch asked Mikel.
The former Super Eagles captain replied: “Yeah, for the Olympics, again we talk about the corruption. There was no money to pay for the flight, for most of these players, it is their first time going for a major tournament.
“So I thought, why not?, we got there and to this day, I still have not received reimbursement.”
Crouch interjected; “Wait, so you got a medal and have still not been paid”
Mikel said; “Nope”.
But reacting to the claims Siasia in a chat with Nigerian journalist Callistus Ebare said:“Mikel Obi did not pay any flight money for Olympic Eagles from United States to Brazil for the 2016 Olympics. Nothing like that.
“We only had issues with hotel bills. I think, he did pay for some of the hotel bills, but that of the flight from United States to Brazil, Mikel did not pay for that.
“Delta Airline flew us because Nigerians in the United States were agitated over the issue. A friend of mine went to Delta Airline chairman and they resolved the matter.
“Yemi Idowu had earlier paid for the team’s flight tickets, but the aircraft was too small.
“If Mikel has the receipt to that effect, let him show Nigerians that he was the one who paid.
Mikel did not pay for any flight tickets of the team. I say this as the head coach of the team then. He should bring the receipt, if he paid.
“May be he is broke and looking for money. He should try other means to make money.”
Despite facing challenges heading to the 2016 Olympics the U-23 Eagles clinched a bronze medal in the football event.
The team arrived Brazil few hours to their first match with Japan but still went on to win 5-4.
They booked their place in the quarter-finals thanks to a 1-0 win against Sweden in their second group fixture. The team lost 2-0 to Colombia in their final group tie in a dead rubber contest.
In the quarter-finals the U-23 Eagles beat Denmark 2-0 with Mikel scoring the opening goal for Siasia side.
But in the semi-finals against Germany the team lost 2-0 to Germany.
Then in the third place match the U-23 Eagles defeated Honduras 3-2 to clinch the bronze which was Team Nigeria’s only medal at the Rio Olympics.