NFF condemns racist abuse of Esther Okoronkwo after Morocco hotel theft incident
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The NFF has condemned the racist abuse targeting Super Falcons forward Esther Okoronkwo, describing discrimination as having no place in football or society.
The federation confirmed that the suspect behind the hotel theft in Morocco was arrested, returned the stolen money in full, and was sentenced to six months in prison.
Despite the incident, the Super Falcons say they remain united and fully focused on their opening match of the 2026 WAFCON against Malawai.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has strongly condemned the racist abuse directed at Super Falcons forward Esther Okoronkwo on social media following the theft incident involving several Nigerian players at their team hotel in Morocco ahead of the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
In a statement, the federation said:
READ ALSO: Super Falcons accuse hotel staff of stealing $1,220 in cash before WAFCON campaign (video)
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) strongly condemns the unacceptable racist abuse directed at Super Falcons forward Esther Okoronkwo on social media following recent incidents at the team's hotel in Morocco.
It added:
Discrimination in any form has no place in football or society.
The federation also dismissed the racist comments directed at the 29-year-old, noting that Moroccan authorities had already acted on the theft case.
The racist abuse and emojis directed at our player make absolutely no sense, especially as the individual responsible for the theft was apprehended, made to return the stolen cash in full, and sentenced to six months in prison.
The incident came after Okoronkwo alleged that cash was stolen from her wallet and those of several teammates while the Super Falcons were staying at the Marriott Hotel in Casablanca before travelling to Rabat for the tournament. She claimed she lost $700, while other players were also affected.
Following her public disclosure of the incident, Okoronkwo was subjected to racist insults and abusive messages on social media.
The AFC Toronto forward responded with a message of resilience, writing:
See you on the pitch.
The federation said the incident has not distracted the nine-time African champions from their mission in Morocco.
"The entire team stands united, unbothered by distractions, and fully focused on tomorrow's #WAFCON2026 opener against Malawi", it said.
Nigeria The Super Falcons are the most successful team in WAFCON history and entered the 2026 tournament aiming to defend the title they won in Morocco at the previous edition.
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