International Football - Nigeria U17 captain 'is 25'

Eurosport - Thu, 05 Nov 11:29:00 2009

The captain of Nigeria's U17 team is 'about 25 years old' and has no business playing at the current FIFA U17 World Cup, according to a former Nigeria international.

2009 FIFA U17 World Cup Nigeria statue - 0

Adokiye Amiesimaka, now a lawyer, used his column in a national newspaper to voice his concerns over Fortune Chukwudi, who he claims to be at least nine years older than the player says he is.

"In the 2002-03 season, I was chairman of Sharks Football Club of Port Harcourt," Adokiye wrote in The Punch. "I decided to have a feeder team of fresh school leavers not older than 20 years.

"As the feeder team concept was relatively new and because I had my own ideas about how a team at that level should be handled, I also doubled as its coach.

"One of my key players then is the current captain of our so-called U17 Golden Eaglets. By his own admission at that time, that is seven years ago, he was 18 years old."

The revelations come as a blow to tournament organisers, who introduced MRI tests specifically to weed out age cheats at this year's edition in Nigeria.

Earlier in the week, FIFA vice-president Jack Warner had given the tournament a clean bill of health.

Amiesimaka, a former Rivers State Commissioner for Justice, added: "MRI or not, his football history is common knowledge.

"If we are not utterly irresponsible, how can he be eligible for this tournament when he is not less than 25 years old now?

"I really wonder whether the MRI test was done on each and every one of the players. If, indeed, a thorough exercise was conducted, then FIFA must review the procedure.

"For the avoidance of doubt, it is not only Nigeria that should be the focus of FIFA's attention, but every participating country in the tournament should also be carefully scrutinised."

Chukwudi has led his team to the last 16 of the World Cup, where the Eaglets face New Zealand.

The defender, who is yet to make comment on the allegations, will now have to decide whether to pursue the matter in a court of law.

Mike Hytner / Eurosport

Comment 1 - 13 of 13

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  1. typicall nigerian, trying to bribe and blackmail his­ own countryman. As all the customs officials say when­ we enter thier cess pit of a country.... what you got­ for me.

    From roundboy, on Fri 6 Nov 12:42PM

  2. I am talking from insider's information. This issue­ have been going on before the tournament started.­ Adokiye demanded that the young captain shoud make­ arrangement to be collecting money from the player for­ him, since he is his so called godfather. The boy­ refused and that is the way to punish him. This is­ really unfair. Why did he not stop him when the team­ was formed. This is a cheap way to look for­ international recognization.

    From Mega, on Thu 5 Nov 10:07PM

  3. I would have castigated Mr Adokie if his real intention­ was to smear Nigeria's image as being inferred by­ the comments above. But I strongly believe that was not­ his intention. He was just expressing His opinion which­ I think he is entitled to. I think it is quite glaring­ that many of the players fielded by countries in the­ under 17 competition are obviously over-aged. This is­ obvious to most of us. I however feel Mr Adokie would­ have just followed the example of nations like US,UK in­ always shielding their bad news from the world and­ druming up their good news. They call it patrotism.­ Others call it deception. Remember the milk incidence­ in China that was covered up until the end of the­ competition they were hosting at the time.....

    From seun a, on Thu 5 Nov 3:26PM

  4. Adokiye,
    Please tell the world if you have not done­ evil things in your life,
    GOODMAN!
    Mister .KNOW ALL.

    From Shanka, on Thu 5 Nov 3:05PM

  5. Adokiye,
    Please tell the world if you have not done­ evil things in your life,
    GOODMAN!
    Mister .KNOW ALL.

    From Shanka, on Thu 5 Nov 3:04PM

  6. I believed chukwudi fail to give Adokiye bribe when he­ was under him. Let Adokiye go to heel! He's a­ corrupt leader. Prove yourself if you're sincere­ and decent leader. You dont have anything to offer. why­ can't you voiced out earlier. Shameless and corrupt­ ex-commissioner.

    From Omoo, on Thu 5 Nov 2:52PM

  7. Comment 2,3,4,5, when are you guys going to stand up­ for truth? This is not about Adokie but truth, justice­ and fairplay. This is an U17 competition why should we­ field 25 yrs old or more?. Search your heart and think­ of injustices been done to others who fall under this­ age group. Truth should not be coloured or given any­ other name.

    From abbeyjimoh, on Thu 5 Nov 2:47PM

  8. Comment 6, racist? hateful? Naaa, that's Nigeria­ you're talking about. Albeit I quite agree about­ the country being currup but racist and hateful?­ absolutely wrong. I think you mean the UK and US when­ you talk about hateful and racist.

    From Francis, on Thu 5 Nov 1:51PM

  9. Comment 5 you dont need any one else to smear Nigerias­ name, you lot do that quite well on your own. You lot­ are the most racist, hateful and corrupt people known­ to man. You are the scum of the earth

    From roundboy, on Thu 5 Nov 1:32PM

  10. This man should shut his dirty mouth up. If FIFA has­ scanned (MIR)this guy and the result is positive, so be­ it. even if he is 35yrs and the result says he is­ 17yrs, its not Nigerian problem. after all NFF­ disengaged about 15players that failed the test. So Mr.­ Adokiye can go to hell.

    From sheddycom, on Thu 5 Nov 1:22PM

  11. The Man must be in sane and must be brought to explain­ if he is an MRS machine already employed to test the­ players he played football for Nigeria but he was not­ near the best Nigeria did have and still have , he was­ made a commissioner & never improved sport in his­ state, he is a very jealous Man & should be brought­ to book we can not allow any PERSON to smear Nigerias­ Name again.

    From Iyah, on Thu 5 Nov 12:52PM

  12. Disgruntled element. He belongs to the group of people­ that continously just want to be in the limelight. I­ suspect that he must have tried blackmail that did not­ work before going to press otherwise if he meant well,­ there have been numerous fora for him to air his views­ before now. Moron!

    From yomia, on Thu 5 Nov 12:32PM

  13. May i be the first to say that Adokiye is an idiot.­ just because he is a former player doesn't mean he­ is immune to idiocy. If FIFA tested Fortune Chukwudi­ and found him underage, then who is he to talk?

    From tobi, on Thu 5 Nov 12:01PM
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