Months to the start of their qualifiers, 12 players from the team were unable to pass the required MRI test.
12 players from Nigeria’s U-17 national men’s football team, Golden Eaglets have reportedly failed the mandatory Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) tests.
The team are currently preparing for the 2019 Africa U17 Cup of Nations qualifiers but had to undergo the stipulated MRI tests to avoid a re-occurrence of the vents that dismantled the team just days before the first qualifier in 2015.
The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) led by Amaju Pinnick insisted on the MRI test before the qualifiers and accord to a report by Allnigeriasoccer up to 12 players were unable to pass the test and were hence disqualified from the team selection.
The report states that the players went through the test as a precaution and to determine those that will be able to take part in the AFCON qualifiers but 12 failed while a total of 28 players were successful.
A total of 60 players are reportedly in camp but the NFF administration could only afford to conduct the test for 40 players as Coach Manu Garba recently complained about allowances and finances for his team and officials.
The Golden Eaglets beat Black Arrows Bauchi 11-0 in a warm-up game as they continue preparations for the qualifiers.
The report states that none of the key players for the Golden Eaglets missed out except some highly rated prospects.
The Golden Eaglets were drawn against Burkina Faso, Cote d' Ivoire, Benin Republic in WAFU Zone B U-17 AFCON qualifiers scheduled for September.