Libya FA President Makes Drastic Decision After Super Eagles Airport Ordeal
- The Super Eagles of Nigeria were left stranded at Al Abraq Airport following their arrival in Libya for the Africa Cup of Nations qualification fixture
- Members of the Nigerian team contingent were left to spend the night in the lounge of what was a largely abandoned airport
- The president of the Libya Football Federation has taken a drastic decision following the events that unfolded with the Super Eagles
President of the Libya Football Federation (LFF), Abdelhakim Al-Shalmani, has opted to resign from his role following the events that played out with the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
The Nigerian team was held hostage by their Libyan counterparts for a period spanning about 20 hours at Al Abaq Airport in the lead-up to their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification reverse fixture.
Source: Twitter
The FA president, who appeared far from pleased with the unsavoury treatment that was meted out to Nigeria and the reactions that have since stemmed from it, announced his resignation at the federation's most recent general assembly.
As captured by Libya Observers, the FA chief, announcing his resignation, detailed:
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“I do not want to be part of the failure in Libyan sports.”
Addressing the assembly, Al-Shalmani reflected on the challenges faced during his tenure.
“We faced difficulties during the previous period,” he acknowledged before expressing gratitude to his colleagues.
“I thank all members of the General Assembly, and I forgive everyone from all segments of the sports sector,” he added.
The resignation of the FA chief comes at a subtly turbulent time for Libyan football, particularly considering they are currently under scrutiny by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for their treatment of the Super Eagles players.
Libya denies mistreating Super Eagles
Before Al-Shalmani's resignation as FA chief, the Libyan Federation initially denied any mistreatment of the Super Eagles contingent.
The FA explained in its statement that the Super Eagles ended up at the wrong airport due to a protocol mishap during their flight.
In an effort to showcase their hospitality, the federation shared photos of the Ghanaian national team’s arrival in Benghazi.
The LFF also stated that the Nigerian team failed to comply with arrival protocols, which contributed to the controversial hostage situation.
Libya subtly trolls Nigeria
In another report, Legit.ng highlighted that the Libyan FA aimed a subtle jibe at the Super Eagles.
The LFF took to social media to comment on the events experienced by the Super Eagles while also emphasising their own integrity in the matter.
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Source: Legit.ng
