“Why I Rejected the $7,000 Payment from NFF” – 19 Year Old Super Falconettes Player

Courtney Dike, the 19-year-old Super Falconettes player who rejected the $7,000 paid to her by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for participating in the 2014 U-20 Women’s World Cup, has revealed the reason for her decision.

Premium Times reports that in an e-mail to spokesperson of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Ademola Olajire, Dike stated:

I would like to respond to what I have been reading on the internet about rejecting bonuses.

I am delighted to play for Nigeria whenever called upon. I knew before leaving for the U-20 World Cup that I would not accept any bonuses. Acceptance of prize money is against NCAA regulations (the division 1 collegiate governing body) here in the US, so that is the main reason for rejecting it.

Knowing this beforehand, I still chose to represent the country because I believed the experience would be more valuable than the money, and I was right.

Dike is a student at Oklahoma State University, and the younger sister of Super Eagles player Bright Dike.