Midfielder denies donating N11M to Dream Team VI

Mikel Obi denies donating any money to his teammate and urged Nigerians to support the team ahead in the Olympics.

play John Obi Mikel denies donating money to Dream Team VI (Twitter/Timi Ebikagboro) 

Captain of Team Nigeria to the 2016 Olympic Games, John Obi Mikel has denied donating N11m ($30,000) to the Dream Team VI.

Several reports from Nigerian media on Thursday, July 28 say that he donated the sum after he joined the squad on Monday, July at their camp in Atlanta, United States.

Mikel Obi was reported to have donated N11m to the Dream Team VI (Twitter/Timi Ebikagboro)

Reacting to the reports, Mikel Obi said he was informed by a friend who called him from Nigeria.

"I don't know the source of this story which to me is all out to divide us as a team. I would have thought that stories that should be coming out in the media are stories that will unite the team instead of dividing us,” he told the official website of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

Mikel Obi says the reports are aimed at bringing disunity in the Dream Team VI camp (Twitter/Timi Ebikagboro)

He further shut down the reports that the players are in unfair conditions in camp due financial difficulties, pointing out that all the players in the squad are doing well.  

"Tell me the players who are in this team that are so hungry that will be looking up to me for survival?” Mikel asked.

  Mikel Obi says his teammates are doing well in camp (Twitter/Timi Ebikagboro)

“Is it (William) Ekong, (Oghenekaro) Etebo, (Shehu) Abdulahi, (Daniel) Akpeyi, (Kingsley) Madu, (Okechukwu) Azubuike or (Stanley) Amuzie, who are my team –mates in the Super Eagles, that I will be donating to, or other players who are plying their trade abroad and are doing well for themselves? To me, this is just mere distraction that won't help this team going into a major tournament like the Olympics," he added.