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“Inhumane!” International match boycott after scandal

Nigeria's footballers had to wait for hours at the airport.(Bild: instagram.com/fabriziorom)

Nigeria were supposed to play Libya in the Africa Cup qualifiers on Tuesday, but the match will not take place. Due to "inhumane treatment" at the airport in the Libyan city of Al-Abraq, the Nigerians are refusing to play the match.

After the flight to Benghazi was diverted, the Nigerian team was stuck at the airport in Al-Abraq without access to food or drink. William Troost-Ekong shared photos of Victor Boniface, Calvin Bassey and other players sleeping in their seats. "As team captain, I have decided together with the team that we will NOT play this game," Troost-Ekong wrote on social media: "Let them have the points."

Leverkusen's star striker Boniface couldn't believe it either. "We've been at the airport for almost 13 hours, with no food, no WiFi, no place to sleep ... African we can do better," he said, showing a small bus that was sent to the team for the onward journey.

Security concerns 
The team refused the three-and-a-half-hour bus ride from Al-Abraq to Benghazi due to security concerns. "We will not accept to go anywhere by car because even with security personnel it is not safe. We can only imagine what the hotel or food would be like if we continue our journey," it said in a statement.