Golden Eaglets safe despite Chile earthquake, NFF assures

THE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) yesterday allayed fears over the safety of the national U-17 team following the earthquake that hit Chile, venue of next month’s FIFA Cadet World Cup.

According to a report by cable news network (CCTV), Chile at the weekend witnessed a powerful earthquake just off its central coast. It added that the earthquake produced a tsunami over the Pacific basin.

The quake is the third most powerful earthquake in five years to strike the South America nation. Reacting to the incident in the country that would host the country’s U-17 national team next month, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Technical Committee Chairman, Felix Anyansi-Agwu, said the federation was not aware of any security concerns ahead of the cadet championship, adding that FIFA, as the parent body of all regional associations, would not allow the competition to hold in the South American country if the conditions were not right.

Anyansi-Agwu added that the NFF would not jeopardise the security of the Golden Eaglets, who are preparing to successfully defend the U-17 trophy they won in the UAE two years ago.

“The U-17 championship is a world championship and I believe FIFA has the privilege to ascertain if Chile at this moment is safe to host the World Cup. Natural disasters can happen any time and it is the duty of the world football governing body to keep the NFF abreast of any information.

“FIFA is an organised body and I am sure they are following events in Chile,” he said.