Former Super Eagles head coach Samson Siasia has publicly dismissed claims made by Chelsea legend John Obi Mikel on his efforts as a member of the Olympic Eagles, Soccernet.ng reports.
The former Super Eagles midfielder, while speaking in a podcast with Peter Crouch, recently alleged that he personally funded the Nigeria U23 team’s flight to the 2016 Rio Olympics in Brazil.
Mikel, who captained the Olympic team to a bronze medal finish in Rio, stated on The Peter Crouch Podcast that he had to pay for the team’s flight out of his own pocket after government logistics failed.
He said the team was stranded in the hotel with no money or clear plan in place and that he stepped in to cover the cost of transportation to Brazil.
“There was no money to pay for the flight… I had to pay for it. I funded it. When we got there, I thought I would be reimbursed, but up till now, I haven’t been refunded… It’s not about the money. It’s about the principle and respect.” he said.
Watch the full podcast here:
However, in a sharp rebuttal, Siasia refuted the claim, insisting that Mikel did not pay for any flight. In a recorded interview shared on X (formerly Twitter) page by Nigerian journalist, Oluwashina Okeleji, the former head coach said:
“We didn’t pay for any flight to go anywhere. Delta Airlines flew us for free because of the noise at the time. A friend of mine helped out. Mikel didn’t pay for any flight. If he has receipts, let him show us.” the Nigerian coach said.
Siasia acknowledged that Mikel did make personal contributions during the Olympic campaign, particularly helping to settle hotel bills when the team ran into issues, but firmly stated that the cost of air travel was not one of them.
He added: “He did other things, not paying for flights. I told you, the hotel bills I couldn’t pay at that time, that particular time. But he didn’t pay for any flight.”
The disagreement has sparked conversations in the Nigerian football community, especially about the lack of accountability and transparency in logistics and funding during major tournaments.
Despite these misconceptions, Mikel’s contribution to Nigeria’s 2016 Olympic success is widely respected, especially risking his place in Antonio Conte’s Chelsea squad for the tournament.