The League of Guild Editors of Sports said the media — print and electronic – lost N19 billion over non-qualification of Super Eagles for the January Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The guild, in a statement jointly signed by the President of the league, Tony Ubani and Secretary-General, Dare Esan on Wednesday noted that the revenues losses were in adverts and sponsorship.
The body called for immediate preparation for the next AFCON in 2019 and the World Cup in Russia in 2018.
The editors observed that the non-qualification for AFCON was a great set-back and sad, particularly because the country had an array of talents to have ensured the qualification.
It noted that part of the problem was the frequent appointment and sack of the technical staff of the Senior National team and the constant squabbles dogging the country’s football fraternity.
“Unity is key and we must be united at all times in pursuing fame and wealth that football brings to the country”, the statement said.
“If it is true that Nigeria wants to host the AFCON tournament after Gabon, now is the time to secure government guarantees, so as to throw everything into the preparations of the team and facilities for the event.
“The country has suffered enough pain, and we cannot afford to allow football, our source of succour to impose more misery on Nigerians’’. (NAN)
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