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LAGOS: Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu on Monday hosted and splashed gifts on the triumphant national women’s football team who overcame poor preparations and missing payments to win their record-extending 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title.

The Super Falcons’ comeback 3-2 victory over host Morocco in Saturday’s thrilling final was applauded by Tinubu and many in Nigeria, a football-loving nation where passion and hard work often triumphs over institutional challenges.

The continental success, analysts say, papers over the mismanagement of the women’s team by the country’s authorities. The success of the country had come in spite of the country.

“They have been able to dominate even though the Nigerian soccer authorities do not put as much funding, care, attention, and planning into the way the women’s national team is run,” Solace Chukwu, a Lagos-based football analyst, told The Associated Press.

A difference in treatment

The team had been owed match bonuses for years, once resulting in a training boycott in 2022. Even as they triumphed on the way to the finals in Morocco, the backlog of payments was only approved by the president days before Saturday’s final. They also could not hold competitive friendly matches and their training kits were said to not have been available.

It is a common problem in Nigeria where sporting competitions are often dogged by issues of underfunding, corruption, and mismanagement that have led to high-profile scandals resulting in athletes choosing to represent other countries in protest.

Women’s teams are affected the most, partly because of how women have always been viewed in the Nigerian society, according to Oluwashina Okeleji, a sport analyst with focus on Africa.

“The argument from the (Nigerian) federation is that the men bring more money than the women, but the truth is the women bring most prestige, honors, and titles to Nigeria,” Okeleji said.

A spokesperson for the Nigeria Football Federation, the country’s governing soccer body, declined to respond to the allegations.

Victims of success

The Nigerian women’s team has exercised a near-total dominance in African football, which is partly credited to a head-start in the women’s game. Nigeria created the first football league for women in 1978, years before their counterparts on the continent.

However, the gains have not catapulted the team to similar achievements on the global stage in what analysts say is a failure of the authorities to capitalize on this early advantage.

“The men’s team is huge generally within the administration of Nigerian football as the cash cow,” Chukwu said.

The gifts now promised by the president, including money and property, have not convinced the fans.

“This one-time payment and apartment does not make any sense. For what? What they need is investment in the facilities, the staff, and payment. The lack of investment in women’s football is one of the reasons why it is not as high quality as the men’s,” Funmi Obasa, a football fan in Abuja who follows the women’s team, said.

AL-IN: The sixth edition of the IMMAF Youth World Championships officially concluded on Sunday with the UAE claiming another medal to take its total for the tournament to 13.

This year’s edition welcomed more than 1,000 athletes from 60 countries, competing in four youth divisions — making it the largest and most advanced championship in the history of the International Mixed Martial Ats Federation. At the conclusion of the event, Ukraine was crowned overall champion, followed by England in second place and Tajikistan in third. The winning teams were honoured at the conclusion of the event on Sunday.

The UAE national youth team made a notable impact, securing 13 medals in the gold, silver and bronze categories. The results reflect the national federation’s ongoing investment in youth development and technical excellence, strengthening the country’s growing reputation on the global MMA stage.

The final day also featured a ceremony to honor key partners and individuals who contributed to the success of the championship.

Mohammed bin Dalmouj Al-Dhaheri, board member of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation and chairman of the MMA Committee, expressed his pride in the event’s success.

“This championship reflects the confidence the international MMA community places in the UAE’s capabilities. Hosting this global event in Al-Ain underscores our growing reputation for excellence in sports organisation,” he said.

“We are also proud of the outstanding performance of our young athletes. Their determination and discipline represent the spirit of our nation and reaffirm our leadership’s vision to create opportunities for future generations in sport.”

Organised by the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation and hosted by the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation, the championship was held under the patronage of Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, and ran from July 21-27.

Saleh Mohamed Al-Geziry, director general for tourism at the Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi, said: “The rising popularity of combat sports in Abu Dhabi reflects a growing passion for athletic excellence and global sporting prestige. We are proud to welcome to the emirate the IMMAF Youth World Championships, a landmark event that highlights our commitment to nurturing young talent and advancing mixed martial arts on the world stage.”

He said hosting the championship in Al-Ain for the first time would “elevate Abu Dhabi’s reputation as a premier hub for international sports.”