Posted by By Femi Atoyebi on
Inter Milan yesterday acknowledged the reply of Nigeria Football Association over the age imbroglio involving Obafemi Martins.
Inter Milan yesterday acknowledged the reply of Nigeria Football Association over the age imbroglio involving Obafemi Martins.
A report posted on the club's website yesterday, said the letter got to the club secretariat in the morning.
It read: "The Nigerian FA replied this morning to the letter sent by Inter president Giacinto Facchetti yesterday, apologising for the wrong date of birth of Nerazzurri striker Obafemi Martins on its official website".
The text of the reply was largely informal which suggested that it must have been hurriedly written.
It pointed out that a lot of errors are on the FA website, which also included that of Obafemi Martins.
The scandal broke 48 hours ago when the report was published by Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera.
"I was seeking information on the website of the Nigeria Football Association, when I discovered the different birth date," journalist Filippo Ricci told BBC Sport on Wednesday.
"I was surprised to read this information and went ahead to write the story," Ricci said.
Although Martins' date of birth on his passport states 28 October 1984, the website of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) said he was born on 1 May 1978.
A furious Martins said the story had embarrassed him and his employers, and cast a shadow over his honesty.
"That wrong birth date must be taken down from the NFA's website as soon as possible," Martins told BBC Sport on Wednesday.
"I feel very bad about this situation and so does the president of my club.
"But fortunately my president knows that the [Nigeria Football Association] is not well organised."
A displeased Inter president Giancinto Facchetti released a statement on the club's website on Wednesday, stating their displeasure with the controversy.
Reacting FA chairman Ibrahim Galadima said he regrets "the administrative lapse" which has raised doubts about Obafemi Martins age.
"I can understand why the player is angry and frustrated with us," Galadima told BBC Sport yesterday.
"But the date of 28 October 1984 is what we have in our official records. We have tried to reach him but we haven't been able to speak to him yet.
"The NFA has its shortcomings and lapses but that's not to say people should not go deeper to see what's happening," he said without elaborating.
In what some will interpret as a classic case of buck passing, Galadima claimed that his administration has nothing to do with the NFA website.
"The website was commissioned by the former NFA secretary general Taiwo Ogunjobi. But it has not been handed over to us."
Galadima said the website's password is still with the person who built it because he has not been paid for his work.
But when contacted by BBC Sport, Ogunjobi described Galadima's comments as "unfortunate".
He said: "I cannot make any categorical statement on the whole affair until Friday."