TOM SAINTFIET: This Is Racism

Nigeria's Sports Minister. Bolaji Abdullahi has ordered that the appointment of Tom Saintfiet as the Technical Director of the National Teams be revoked.

Now, the 39-year-old Belgian has threatened to report the country to Fifa after it backed out of a gentleman's agreement reached in March. It would be recalled that the NFF had released a communique on March 28 announcing the appointment of Tom Saintfiet as the Technical Director of the National Teams, with monthly wages of $20,000.

''The matter is in the hands of my lawyers and advisors. What happens here is twice contrary to the guidelines of FIFA. Firstly, it is political interference in football. And second, there is racism. The Minister disclosed that the only reason I can not be technical director is that I am a foreigner. That is racism, although different from what we usually have, but racism,'' Saintfiet told SportVoetbal Magazine.

Saintfiet was first approached for the job in October, 2011, and five months later, the former Namibia gaffer was interviewed by the Technical Committee of the Nigeria Federation.

''This is annoying. In the past few months, I have turned down two concrete proposals besides the Nigeria job, among others. I have no work and thus no income. I want as quickly as possible return to work,'' said Saintfiet.