Daily Independent Online.
*
Monday,July 19, 2004.
German embassy keeps Akide waiting
By Ejiro
Femi-Babafemi
Reporter, Lagos
Super Falcons
attacker Mercy Akide who is being expected at the German camp of the national
team is said to be having a running battle with officials of the German embassy
in US.
Sources revealed to
Daily Independent that the embassy has refused to grant Akide visa despite
providing necessary documents showing that she is a national team player.
The embassy is
still insisting that before she can join her colleagues ahead the Olympics in
Athens, Akide needs to submit other vital documents.
Akide, apparently
uncomfortable with the development, believes the resistance by the German
officials is aimed at preventing her from honouring the call to national duty
given her significant position in the team.
Akide who plays for
Hampton Road Piranhas was expected to have joined the team two weeks ago and
has barely three weeks to train with the team before leaving for Athens.
When she could no
longer persuade the embassy that she was on her way to a national assignment,
Akide contacted Head of female department, Lizzy Onyewenwa who immediately
faxed the required documents to the embassy. With NFA’s intervention,
Akide is to appear at the embassy this morning and hopefully would fly to
Germany during the week for the team’s next friendly against world
champions, Germany.
