Former Super Eagles head coach Samson Siasia has dismissed Mikel Obi's claim that he paid for plane tickets for Nigeria's U-23 team ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games.

Mikel Obi, in a recent chat with former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch, stated that he paid for the team's flight tickets for the Rio Olympics and is yet to be refunded by the Nigerian football authorities.

Reacting to the claims by the former Chelsea midfielder, Siasia—who was the head coach of the team—dismissed the claims, stating that the former Super Eagles captain rather helped to pay for some hotel bills and not flight tickets.

“Mikel Obi did not pay any flight money for Olympic Eagles from the United States to Brazil for the 2016 Olympics. Nothing like that.

“We only had issues with hotel bills. I think he did pay for some of the hotel bills, but that of the flight from the United States to Brazil, Mikel did not pay for that.

“Delta Airlines flew us because Nigerians in the United States were agitated over the issue. A friend of mine went to the Delta Airlines chairman and they resolved the matter.

“Yemi Idowu had earlier paid for the team’s flight tickets, but the aircraft was too small.

“If Mikel has the receipt to that effect, let him show Nigerians that he was the one who paid.”

Siasia went ahead to dare the 38-year-old to provide a receipt of the flight payments as evidence, urging the former midfielder to look for other means to get money.

“Mikel did not pay for any flight tickets of the team. I say this as the head coach of the team then. He should bring the receipt if he paid.

“Maybe he is broke and looking for money. He should try other means to make money.”

WDN