Mikel steps in with promise to assist Amputee Eagles as it seeks funding to participate in World Cup

SUPER Eagles captain Mikel Obi has pledged financial and moral support to the country's cash-strapped amputee football team who are preparing to participate in the forthcoming World Cup in Mexico.

Nigeria's amputee team has missed the last three World Cups due to a lack of finances and desperate to make the next one took to crowd-funding early this month to help raise funds for the 2018 tournament. Both the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president Amaju Pinnick, and the Super Eagles squad have made significant financial contributions to the team and now skipper Mikel Obi has stepped in to assist too.

Fred Edoreh, the coordinator of the fundraising campaign, said: "We've spoken to a representative of John Mikel Obi who has offered to help the team.  His support will come as a big boost but right now the dilemma is to find the flights to get the squad to Mexico.

"Time is running out on us and with ticket costs increasing by the day towards our opening game against our budget, we are taking the hard decisions of sending the first team as first batch. This is to avoid heavier costs and also get the boys to settle down before the game against Brazil on Sunday."

He added that the first batch comprising of eight players and a coach should have left Nigeria yesterday but there are plans to fly them out today from Lagos with Ethiopia Airlines. According to Mr Edoreh, being present at the tournament will avoid any global sanctions and he is hopeful that with additional funds, the rest of the team can depart for Mexico on Thursday or Friday.

Mikel is expected to support the team with money and kits, so it can participate in its first ever World Cup. Angola, Kenya and Ghana represented Africa at the 2014 Amputee World Cup, with the Angolans finishing as runners-up, losing 3-1 to Russia in the final.