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Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
World
Oluwashina Okeleji

In African women’s football, homophobia still poses a barrier

Cynthia Uwak, then 18, of Nigeria controls the ball during their qualifying soccer match against Algeria for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, in Tipaza June 3, 2007 [Louafi Larbi/Reuters]

Nigeria’s hegemonic decades-long dominance over Africa’s women’s football scene has long masked a dark secret: Openly homosexual players are not allowed.

The Super Falcons are Africa’s most prosperous national team, but this discriminatory attitude has cast a shadow over their success and led to the ostracisation of talented footballers over the years.

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