Members of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club has protested the non-issuance of visas by the Canadian Embassy to about 300 members who are preparing to travel to Canada and support the Super Falcons in the Women World Cup slated for June 6 to July 5, 2015.
In a statement by the club, signed by the President General, Rafiu Ladipo, the club noted that it is unfortunate that out of the 170 visa applications released by the embassy, only 19 members were issued with visa, not minding that many of them had travelled to many countries in the past.
Ladipo listed such countries already visited by the supporters as USA, Britain and Germany without any of them eloping to those countries.
The club regretted that despite being adjudged as the best Supporters Club in the world by FIFA, it is being denied visas to go and support its team and, therefore, appealed to the Canadian Embassy to rescind its decision considering that its members’ hotel accommodation has been fully booked.
The statement added: “It is unfortunate that the Canadian Embassy issued only 19 of our members’ visa to travel to that country and support Super Falcons who will be playing their first match on Monday.
”We are also surprised that some of our members who had traveled to many countries with visas of those countries in their passports were not even considered worthy for visas. We are appealing to the Canadian Embassy to rescind its decision because the integrity of our club is intact.”
The club appealed to the embassy to, in the spirit of sportsmanship and the cordial relationship existing between Nigeria and Canada, give the matter the urgency it deserves.