Ray Nnaji: FIFA can’t ban Nigeria from world sports

Former Commissioner for Sports in Enugu State, Barr. Ray Nnaji, yesterday said that if the Federation of International Football Association, FIFA, bans Nigeria they would challenge the oraganisation in the court of arbitration to know whether its has right to meddle in a country’s internal affairs.

Former Commissioner and sports administrator, Barr. Nnaji stated this while addressing sports writers in his office.

Nnaji who was a member of the referees association, reacting on the backdrop of the Giwa-Pinnik debacle, said that FIFA lacked the power to ban Nigeria from world sports because, according to him, the Supreme Court of Nigeria has made a pronouncement on the issue and it cannot be changed.

“Let me be frank with you, FIFA will not hammer Nigeria. It is Nigerians that are going about trying to bring FIFA into it.

”Supreme Court has said that Pinnik is not known, how can he come back? If FIFA wants to deal with Amaju Pinnik, they should create an office for him. FIFA cannot do anything about what is happening in Nigeria,” Nnaji said.

He said that Infantino should sort advice before delving into Nigeria’s internal crisis.

Nnaji alleged that Pinnik has destroyed sports in Nigeria and pointed out that Pinnik would suffer should FIFA ban Nigeria.

The former sports commissioner however urged Nigerians and sports lovers to support Chris Giwa “to change the face of sports.”

He said that under Pinnik, the Glass House is now a shadow of itself and is now in a dilapidated state.

Nnaji said that whereas Giwa has a football club, Pinnik has nothing to offer.