FIFA clears Shola Ameobi and Victor Moses to play for Nigeria

World football-governing body, FIFA has finally cleared Foluwashola Ameobi and Victor Moses to play for Nigeria at international level.

In separate documents on the two players sent to the Nigeria Football Federation on Monday evening, FIFA declared that both players have been cleared based on the entire documentation remitted by the NFF and the Football Association of England. Ameobi, of English Premiership side Newcastle United FC, and Moses, who also plays in the Premiership with Wigan Athletic, have been on the verge for some months now and would be glad with the decision of FIFA’s Single Judge on eligibility.

“After having thoroughly examined the entire documentation remitted by the Nigerian Football Federation, the Single Judge concluded that the player, Victor Moses fulfils the objective prerequisites as provided for in art. 18 par. 1 of the Regulations. In particular, the player has never represented the Football Association representative team at “A” international level.

“Furthermore, the Single Judge also took due note of the fact that, based on the document dated 7 July 2011, issued by the “National population commission” in Garki-Abuja, Nigeria, the player in question already held the Nigerian nationality before representing England for the first time in an international match in a U-17 official competition on 23 March 2007 as he is an Nigerian citizen by birth”. The same statement was made in the case of Shola Ameobi.

The decision was made on October 26, 2011 by the Single Judge of the Players’ Status Committee, Mr. Chuck Blazer (USA). He underscored: “The request made by the Nigeria Football Federation and the player for change of Association team is accepted”. 

The ruling is somewhat good news for Nigerian football after the repeated bad news following the ouster of the Super Eagles from the Nations Cup and the Super Falcons from the London 2012 Olympics. During this same period Nigerian clubs were also upstaged in continental competitions with Enyimba dumped out of the CAF Champions League and Sunshine Stars from the Confed Cup.