Corruption is a form of dishonesty undertaken by a person entrusted with a position of authority, often to acquire personal benefit. Corruption may include many activities including bribery and embezzlement, though it may also involve practices that are legal in many countries. Political corruption occurs when an office-holder or other governmental employee acts in an official capacity for personal gain. Corruption is most commonplace in kleptocracies, oligarchies, narco-states and mafia states. Wikipedia
CORRUPTION IN SPORTS
It is said that corruption in sport is evolving into an uncontrollable global menace in recent times. Of course corruption is not a new phenomenon in sports, but the spate at which it is eating deep into the fabrics of sports is very alarming despite all the measures that are being taken to stem it in the bud. Of note is that corruption is not confined to the grassroots, but has gone way up the highest echelons. History has shown that in the past century, four trends have affected sports, namely;
1. de-amateurisation at the turn of the twentieth century.
2. medicalisation since the 19th.
3. politicisation and,
4. commercialisation to the extent where sport has become a business exceeding US$141 billion per annum.
All the trends mentioned above had a corrupting influence on what is generally regarded as the past era of sport. But the most devastating among them are the Era's of Politicization and Commercialization. There is virtually no country in the world where politics has not encroached into sports. Africa for example has corruption in sports as it shadow, in other words any sport in Africa that is not inbeded in corruption has no international value. Government Sport officials, Privately owned sport clubs and sport agents thrive better where there is corruption. So those era's cannot not be said to be past nor will it be surmised that corruption is no longer subsisting, in fact systematic corruption has taken hold such as on traceable electronic money transfers and the likes? The recent corruption scandal that engulfed the highest football body in the world FIFA is still fresh in our minds which led to the emergence of the present crop leadership.
CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA.
A couple of days ago there was a video released which exposes Salisu Yusuf, a top Nigerian football coach receiving money from unidentified football agents. Although the video was purported to be recorded in September 2017, it was not until recently that the video was featured for the first time on BBC Africa eye. The footage was reported to have been discreetly captured by a fellow Nigerian journalist. Discussions that went on was to influence his selection at the regional championship that was held in Ghana for players who will play for the Nigerian team.
Also, the former Kano Pillars manager was promised 15% from each players contract should they get snapped up, with him in turn promising the agents spots for the players at the 2018 African Nations Championship in Morocco.
When Salisu Yusuf was however confronted with the evidence by journalists, he admitted that all the players who took part in the tournament were selected based on merit and that he collected 750 USD not $1000. He further state that he was not violating any Nigeria Football Federation rules of selecting players for tournaments. He had the gal and the affrontry to say that was he violating any FIFA rule, since thee is nothing against collection of gratification.
Right up to this minute there was no official statement from the corruption riddled Nigeria football body NFF. For some time mow NFF has been in court for cases of corruption, but that does not prevent from taking disciplinary measure against Salisu Yusuf.
It is left to be seen if FIFA will wade into this matter or will look the other way. But one thing is clear, Nigeria sports has always been shrouded in corruption since Adam and Eve and if nothing is done about this anomaly, the future of Nigeria sports will be grossly effected. Athletes who by merit deserve to participate in tournaments based on true and real performance may end up being suppressed by corrupt agents and sports officials.
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