By Richard Jideaka, Abuja

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has given the Nigeria Football Federation [NFF] a July 18 deadline to submit the certificates of the MRI test conducted on Flying Eagles players who will represent the country in the African Youth Championship qualifier billed for July 28.

The national U-20 side are billed to take on their Tanzanian counterparts in a  qualifier on July 28 and the Glasshouse must submit a list of 40 players who successfully passed the MRI test to be eligible to play in both the qualifiers and the main championship early next year.

NFF Assistant Secretary-General (Technical) Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme, who disclosed this to Complete Sports in Abuja explained that the MRI tests will be conducted as soon as coach John Obuh submits  his final list of players for the encounter against Tanzania to the NFF.

“We have told John Obuh to get down to the business of picking the players whom he intends to feature against Tanzania next month. He has completed the screening exercise and he is now blending the team for the task ahead, and we shall proceed with the IMR tests on the players as soon as possible”

“I think the decision by CAF  that all participating countries in all age grade competitions must submit the MRI test certificates of their players before the start of the qualifiers is a welcome development. It is good because it will help to check age falsification in the continent and fast-track the development of the game in Africa,” he stated.

Dr. Ikpeme also  expressed absolute confidence in the ability John Obuh led technical crew to give the country a very solid team that will retain the African title they won in South Africa in the last edition, noting that the talents are there waiting to be harnessed into world beaters.