Okocha tells Atlanta ’96 sad tales, says NFF didn’t pay for hotel, food, transport during camping

By our reporter 9.7.2026
Nigeria’s legendary midfielder Austin Jay Jay Okocha once more highlighted the ills of Nigerian football administration describing how the U-23 team went through hard times but still manage to win the gold medal for Nigeria at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games.
Nigeria became the first African nation to win the football gold medal beating Brazil and Argentina in the process, but Okocha who was speaking in chat on the “Long Form” podcast noted that team ignored all the hardship in camp to make their country proud.
“While we were in camp in America it was tough, the NFF didn’t pay for our accommodation and for a week we were fed with rice and chicken sauce morning afternoon and evening.
“When we complained to the hotel manager about the food, he told us that were lucky to be still staying in the hotel because the NFF has not paid for the accommodation.
“There was no vehicle to take us to and from training and so some of us brought our pay cards to be able to hire mini vans to stay in camp,” Okocha stated.
He said winning the gold medal was special because of the suffering they went through.Nigeria’s legendary midfielder Austin Jay Jay Okocha once more highlighted the ills of Nigerian football administration describing how the U-23 team went through hard times but still managed to win the gold medal for Nigeria at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games.
Nigeria became the first African nation to win the football gold medal beating Brazil and Argentina in the process, but Okocha who was speaking in chat on the “Long Forum” podcast noted that team ignored all the hardship in camp to make their country proud.
“While we were in camp in America it was tough, the NFF didn’t pay for our accommodation and for a week we were fed with rice and chicken sauce morning afternoon and evening.
“When we complained to the hotel manager about the food, he told us that we were lucky to be still staying in the hotel because the NFF had not paid for the accommodation.
“There was no vehicle to take us to and from training and so some of us brought our pay cards to be able to hire mini vans to stay in camp,” Okocha stated.
He said winning the gold medal was special because of the suffering they went through.