Posted by By Emeka Ezeugwu on
The un-ending twist in Mikel John Obi's transfer to Manchester United and the subsequent challenge by Chelsea, may have unearthed shaddy visa scam, which could force ejection of Obi's Nigerian colleagues in Norway.
The un-ending twist in Mikel John Obi's transfer to Manchester United and the subsequent challenge by Chelsea, may have unearthed shaddy visa scam, which could force ejection of Obi's Nigerian colleagues in Norway.
Aside Obi, Ezekiel Bala, Chinedu Ogbuke and Emmanuel Sarki are all in the government funded Norwegian Sports Academy known as Norges Toppidrettsgymnas (NTG), but the Principal of the school, Rektor Arild J. has come out to disclaim the Nigerians as his students.
According to Arild J. NTG the players did not go through any admission processes and did not obtain his requisite signature to qualify for student visa in Norway, which should allow them to play amateur football in the country.
He said the Nigerians merely play in the Lyn Oslo amateur team at the Academy and thereafter dine with the students insisting that their immigration visas were invalid since he did not sign them.
The report also fingered Obi's agent John Shittu who runs a British Sports Agency known as Sports Entertainment & Media Group for Chelsea, to have lodged about $186,000 through Profile Sports - a Norwegian Agency for the upkeep of the players.
The Principal said a staff of the Academy signed an agreement with Profile Sports to keep the shaddy deal top secret from him even though he should have been informed since only his signature could authorise the Norwegian Immigration Dept to approve visas for the players.
Obi later signed a contract to play for Lyn which prohibits the club from transfering the Nigerian without the consent of Profile Sports and since the visa status is now in question, it invalidates his work permit in Norway.
"In Norway the law is that if one is found to have falsified information in a prior visa application, one's right to work/stay in the country is revoked, even if such a person is currently on a different - and valid - visa when it is found out," a source explained.
Lyn Oslo are also in trouble over the scam as Norwegian law says having a player in a team with illegal work permit, could be grounds for League controlling body to dock such club's points or even reverse the result of games they won with such illegal player(s).
Chelsea who is believed to have been funding Obi's Parents in Nigeria could also be penalised by FIFA who frowns at any form of payment, directly or indirectly, to players below age 18.