The Super Falcons were eventually freed to go following their COVID results and intervention from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)
The Super Falcons of Nigeria recorded a 3-0 victory against Ivory Coast on aggregate after a 1-0 victory away against Ivory Coast at the Stade Robert Champroux in Abidjan only to arrive at Abuja's international airport from the qualifying game in Ivory Coast and end up being held for over four hours by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) as some players fainted and were reduced to tears.
After sealing a ticket to the 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, the Super Falcons took a two-hour flight from Abidjan to Abuja. The nine-time African champions were tested for COVID before the game and also before they departed but Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) deem it fit to delay the girls despite presenting PCR test results.
Coach Randy Waldrum said the situation, which followed a two-hour flight, was "very frustrating".
But the NFF has absolved itself of any blame, describing the incident as "unfortunate".
"We had our protocol officers on ground at the airport and they did [what was necessary] before the team arrived," NFF general secretary Mohammed Sanusi said in a statement.
"We are a responsible organisation and the various national teams have been going out and returning to Nigeria since these Covid-19 protocols, procedures and guidelines started. We have never been caught napping.
"We had no control over how things would be approached by the officials in charge at the airport each time. In this particular case, we fulfilled our part of the requirements."
