Just A Ball Game? founder, Lindsay England, asks if Nigerian lesbians are being slienced by law to be allowed to compete at the Canada 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup?
Is it time for FIFA to stand up and be counted and insist on fair play and ethics for all at the Women’s World Cup to be held in Canada 2015?
Millions of people the world over watch the draw for the group games of the WWC 2015 and Nigeria will face USA, Australia and Sweden in Group D. The Canadians also held the Women’s U-20s World Cup earlier this year and saw Germany beat Nigeria 1-0 in the final, but the silence from FIFA was defining on allowing the Super Falcons’ side to compete at all, despite FIFA in 2013 stating they would investigate fully should a ruling be brought in around forbiddance of their players to be openly homosexual, with the expected signing of the Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition Bill) into Nigerian law.
The introduction of this law also means that Nigeria’s players who engage in nothing more than conversation, share a visit to watch a game, or who participate with duties alongside fellow competitors in the Women’s World Cup (many of whom are publically open about their sexual orientation), or engage with fans who are from an LGBT community, will be breaking the said law.
Part of the Act reads: “A person who registers, operates or participates in gay clubs, societies and organizations; directly or indirectly makes public show of same sex amorous relationship in Nigeria, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of 10 years imprisonment, and anyone convicted of entering into a same-sex marriage contract or civil union faces up to 14 years imprisonment.”
That law came into effect dated 7 January 2014 when it was signed by Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan.
Around four years ago news began to break that a coach had sacked lesbian players from the Nigeria team. A few months later this news was confirmed when Super Falcons coach, Eucharia Uche stirred the hornets’ nest when she made a remark regarding her position on ‘lesbianism’ during the lead up to the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup. “Yes, the lesbians in our team were really a big problem,” she said. “But since I am coach of the Super Falcons, that has been cleared up. There are no more lesbians on my team; I cannot tolerate this dirty life.”
For her bluntness, she drew the ire of FIFA and a number of international gay groups.She was cautioned by the world football governing body, which through its head of Women’s competition, Tatjana Haenni said, “FIFA is against all forms of discrimination”.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in 2013 denied that Uche had stated any of this and also commented that they had not been under any FIFA probe or query.
The NFF’s Chief Media Officer, Ademola Olajire, was also quoted as having said; “We all know of these vices, because lesbianism has become a thing of common knowledge that the female footballers no more hide it among themselves. However, those who indulge in the nasty act had promised to stop it and the NFF is putting measures in place to ensure that they keep to their promises.”
One former Nigerian player, Chichi Igbo, who is openly lesbian and not ashamed of her sexual orientation and now plays in Denmark, says “I know how different I am. I love me just the way I am with all my imperfections and flaws and I owe nobody any explanation and won’t apologise for who I am.” Unfortunately none of her LGBT colleagues based in Nigeria are able to do the same and speak out.
Coach, Joy Etim said; “I happened to interview some girls who came from outside Lagos and these girls were from a village and I had to tell them what it means and the repercussions that follow. Some of them are as young as 13 years. If you want to know them, they look and walk like boys, and even call themselves ‘Fine boys’ and you will know who plays the role of the male and the role of the female.
“I played football during the mid-eighties to early nineties and it wasn’t common during our time. But now it is too much. When I served as a coach with the national team, I heard there were a lot of them in the team but I was more focused on the technical aspect of the job.
“It is likely that it was going on but because they were big girls, they wouldn’t do it where I will see them. Some of them would even go as far as paying for hotels outside the camp so there was little anyone could do.
Dilichukwu Onyedinma, who caused international controversy with her campaign to drive lesbians out of Nigerian football a year ago when she was appointed by the NFF in October (2014) as deputy head of Fair play and Ethics, said; ”Yeah, we don’t tolerate lesbianism and we always discuss it whenever we meet. We always warn clubs and club chairmen, to please tell their players to desist from it, because any player that we pick for national competitions, and we hear a little story that is involved in that, we disqualify the player.”
As of yet, nothing has been explained as to how Onyedinma’s views and discriminatory actions can be reconciled with her duties as deputy head of the NFF Committee of Ethics and Fair Play, which aim to abolish all forms of discrimination in football.
Article Three of the FIFA Statutes
FIFA : “Discrimination of any kind against a Country, private person or group of people on account of race, skin colour, ethnic, national or social origin, gender, language, religion, political opinion or any other opinion, wealth, birth or any other status, sexual orientation or any other reason is strictly prohibited and punishable by suspension or expulsion.”
Is it not now time for FIFA to take a zero tolerance approach towards member countries and their employees who are seen to be discriminatory on many occasions and bring in sanctions against these people and ultimately the country FA’s and ban them from competing on the world’s greatest stage in football, of a World Cup Finals?
SHE KICKS – the online community for women’s football
