Football Federation (NFF) official has blamed lesbians for recent poor performances of the country’s women’s team, repeating a claim that FIFA has previously condemned.

The Super Falcons are the most successful African nation in the game, having won the continental title a record nine times and competed at every Women’s World Cup since it started in 1991. But they have failed to qualify for this year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and were also under-par in last year’s All Africa Games in Congo.

NFF vice-president Seyi Akinwunmi blamed the decline in the women’s game nationally to same-sex relationships, which are illegal in religiously conservative Nigeria.

“Lesbianism kills teams,” he complained at a meeting of sports writers in the southwestern city of Ibadan on Saturday, in comments reported in national newspapers on Monday. “People are afraid to talk about it.

The coaches also take advantage of the girls, so there is much more to build in female football.” Akinwunmi was not immediately available for comment when contacted by AFP.

Credit: Vanguard