The head coach of Nigeria’s U-17 side, Manu Garba, has confirmed that several players failed the Magnetic Resonance Imaging test during the team’s camp.

With the 2024 WAFU B U-17 tournament in Ghana drawing near, reports suggest that Garba is facing challenges in finalising his squad.

Soccernet reports a significant reduction in the initial list of 51 invited players occurred due to failures in the MRI tests.

In an interview with theNFF.com, Garba urged Nigerians to dismiss reports of widespread failures in the MRI tests within his team.

Instead, he expressed confidence that his coaching staff would assemble a competitive squad capable of securing a spot in next year’s Africa U17 Cup of Nations during the tournament in Ghana.

He said, “Let me clear the air on this matter. The genuine U17 players, according to their official document made available to the NFF and the MRI tests conducted by the football body are still in the camp preparing for the WAFU B U17 tournament.

“When the camp opened last month, the very sincere football academies had to withdraw their players after the MRI tests they conducted showed that their players were in Grade 5. These players had to leave the camp immediately.

“Those who were not sincere and thought they could find a way through one way or the other have been exposed after the NFF conducted its own MRI a few days ago and found the results earlier presented by their players before entering the camp did not tally with the requirements of the NFF.” 

The NFF requires players to have results between Grades 1–4.

According to Garba, some players in Grade 5 have been instructed to depart from the camp.

Garba refuted any suggestion that his camp was in disarray as a result of the MRI test outcomes.

“The good news is that most of the players recorded good grades in their MRI results done at the NFF-approved medical centre, and the team is looking forward to a favourable outing at the WAFU B U17 tournament in Accra, Ghana.”

The medical team of the Confederation of African Football will be conducting another MRI test before the start of the tournament.

The reigning champions, who have won the WAFU B U17 Championship five times, will kick off their title defence against Burkina Faso on May 16.

The team has played nine friendly games thus far, securing six victories, two draws, and experiencing one defeat.