LAGOS, Nigeria (AP)—Nigeria’s national football team says it has fined Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel $5,000 for arriving late to a training camp ahead of a must-win African Cup of Nations qualifier.
Nigeria spokesman Colin Udoh said Wednesday that Mikel arrived one day after his teammates as the team prepares for a final round group match against Guinea, which is three points ahead of Nigeria.
Udoh said Mikel called on Tuesday to say he needed to attend to family matters, but that team officials were “unimpressed.”
