Posted by The Vanguard on
Eagles star Ifeanyi Ekwueme, who has been under FIFA hammer for the past six months after he signed for two different clubs, has said he will be free to play again from 11 August.
Eagles star Ifeanyi Ekwueme, who has been under FIFA hammer for the past six months after he signed for two different clubs, has said he will be free to play again from 11 August.
The delighted player revealed on Wednesday from his base in Greece:
"My club [Aris Salonika] have been notified already of the lift of the ban placed on me by FIFA and I wish to thank God for this pleasant development."
Ekwueme ran into a storm in February with the Polish club Lech Poznan, who had dragged the Nigerian star to FIFA court for failing to honour his contract to play for them last November.
Lech had prayed FIFA to ban the player for two years as well as demanding for 100,000 Euros as compensation for the breach of contract. FIFA subsequently banned Ekwueme and slammed a 5,000 Euro fine on his Greek club.
Ekwueme described his six-month suspension as bad for his career.
He said: "The experience was a bad one; my heart has been heavy over this unfortunate issue; and I wondered why me."
The player said he is now looking forward to a rewarding return to action.
"I thank God for the lifting of this ban and I will have to now refocus on my career. It is sad I missed some of our World Cup games. I hope to contribute my quota to Nigeria's remaining World Cup matches."