English-born Nigerian defender Ashleigh Plumptre has alleged that she was excluded from Nigeria’s squad for the upcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) by certain officials after refusing to comply with demands she described as corrupt.
Plumptre made the allegation in a post on her social media accounts, expressing disappointment over her omission from the team.
“I have just been excluded from the squad for the upcoming WAFCON by certain corrupt officials who demanded something from me that I could not and would never offer,” she wrote.
The Super Falcons star said her commitment, hard work and dedication to representing Nigeria should have been sufficient to earn her a place in the squad.
“If my talent, hard work, dedication and commitment to representing my country are not enough to earn my place in the team, then perhaps it is time for me to step back,” she stated.
Plumptre added that the development was painful, given the pride she has always taken in representing Nigeria.“This hurts deeply because wearing the national colours has always been an honour I never took for granted. But I can never go against my values just to earn a call-up. Never,” she said.
The defender, who switched international allegiance from England to Nigeria in 2022 and has become a key member of the Super Falcons, did not provide further details regarding the alleged demands or identify the officials involved.
As of the time of filing this report, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) had not issued any official response to the allegations.
