Some pretty serious allegations regarding Portuguese club Boavista’s treatment of two Nigerian strikers by the players themselves and a Nigerian journalist. Here is a summary of events as reported by the journo
Boavista: The new slave camp. Nigeria World Cup strikers Uche Nwofor & Michael Uchebo have accused Boavista of treating them ‘like a slave’
The players refused a pay cut at the start of 2016/17 season. Boavista president then gave instruction for them to be COMPLETELY ISOLATED.
To add insult to injury, they’re barred from the club’s training ground, shunned at team gatherings – & isolated from the rest of the squad.
Fifa rules states that a player must NOT train in isolation. But Boavista made them train without a trainer, doctor & a Physio.
When Uchebo and Nwofor attempted to use the club facilities, securities acting on the order of the Boavista president pushed them out.
Uchebo has gone unpaid for months & banished from the training facilities since July. Him: “I asked Boavista why? They won’t say a word.”
To save his career Nwofor agreed to terminate his contract in Sept but Boavista boss Alvaro Braga has failed to pay his €110k compensation.
Nwofor’s handlers & Fifpro discovered that Boavista misled the league body by registering the termination but without the compensation.
Deadline for payment of €110k has elapsed & Boavista have refused to pay. Nwofor has since tried to contact them but they’ve ignored his call
One of the players reps Kobe Benson told me: The club Boavista is a notoriously dishonest side with no respect for FIFA rules/regulations.”
Benson: “No options but to report them to the authorities. With the amount of evidence, I have no doubt that they will be punished severely”
Benson also added that the club will be made to pay the full value of Uchebo’s remaining contract and Nwofor’s agreed compensation.”
Nwofor on Boavista: “They are gangsters. They force you to reduce salary or force you out. In the Netherlands & Belgium this cruel things don’t happen.”
Nwofor: “A crazy situation we had to start keeping evidence. You’re working, they don’t pay U & use security to harass U. This is slavery.”
Portuguese league body allows Boavista to get away with such deplorable acts & allow them sign players even though they owe Nwofor & Uchebo
The club was punished & relegated in 2008 by the league body for gross misconduct. It appears that punishment did nothing to change them.