Two former Nigeria coaches, Clemens Westerhof and Johannes Bonfrere are locked in a legal battle in far away Holland, over allegations of match-fixing during Nigeria’s USA ’94 World Cup campaign.
Coach Westerhof has sued Bonfrere for defamation of character and is praying that the Rechtbank Gelderland High Court in Arnhem, Netherlands should ask his former assistant, Bonfrere to clear his name after he(Bonfrere) was quoted as having accused him of selling the match between Nigeria and Italy for $100,000.
Sometime in April 2020, Bonfrere was widely quoted by the Nigerian media of having said in an interview with highly reputable Sport Radio, Brila fm that his former principal and colleague, Coach Clemens Westerhof sold the World Cup group match, which Nigeria lost 1-2, no thanks to a Roberto Baggio second half brace.
Bonfrere, said in the interview, “Yes everyone blames the coach. The coach did something wrong and we lost before the game started,” Bonfrere revealed.
He continued, “He sold the game for $100,000, that’s why we lost against Italy. If you don’t believe, you can ask the players.” (Vanguard)