Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, the general secretary of the Nigerian Football Federation, claims that the Falconets did not get stuck in Turkey after missing their aircraft from Istanbul to Nigeria.
![Nigeria's Falconets Stranded In Turkey, Sleeps On Bare Floor At Instabul Airport [Photos] | Kanyi Daily News](https://media.kanyidaily.com/2022/08/24122746/Falconets-1024x576.jpg)
Sanusi’s claim came after news that the Falconets, who had crashed out of the competition and left Costa Rica, the host country for the 2022 U-20 Women’s World Cup, on Monday, were stuck in Istanbul.
The athletes were photographed dozing off on chairs and bare floors while awaiting their flights in Istanbul.
The reports, according to Sanusi, are malicious and inaccurate because the girls missed their connecting flight.
“To imply the girls were stranded is a cunning statement; the Falconets were not stranded in Turkey. The airline is to blame, he told the Punch.
The connecting Turkish Airline flight that was scheduled to get them from Turkey to Abuja had already left when they arrived in Istanbul, so the Falconets had to wait for the next departure.
Sanusi reported that the Falconets had at last boarded a plane for Abuja.
The Falconets won every game they played in Costa Rica during the group round, however they were eliminated from the competition after falling to The Netherlands 2-0.
