Looking for Advice/Help for Nigerian Footballer Stranded in Armenia
Hi everyone, I’m posting on behalf of a friend who is a Nigerian footballer currently in Armenia.
He traveled to Armenia because he was told he had a legitimate opportunity to sign with a football club. Unfortunately, things have not turned out as expected. He is now being told that he needs to pay $5,000 in order to sign with the club.
He does not have $5,000, and he is currently in a difficult financial situation. We are trying to figure out whether this is a legitimate requirement, whether he is being taken advantage of, and what options he has at this point.
We would really appreciate advice from anyone who lives in Armenia, has experience with Armenian football clubs/agents, immigration, or knows organizations that assist foreigners who may have been deceived or left stranded.
Specifically, we are trying to find out:
Is it normal or legitimate for a football club/agent to require a player to pay $5,000 before signing?
Are there legitimate football agents or organizations in Armenia that we can contact?
What can a Nigerian citizen do if he is in Armenia without money and the promised employment opportunity falls through?
Are there organizations that can provide legal/immigration advice or emergency assistance?
If he needs to leave Armenia, are there any resources that can help someone who genuinely cannot afford a ticket home?
We are not looking for anyone to send money. We are mainly looking for legitimate advice, contacts, organizations, or people who can point us in the right direction.
If you have relevant experience or know someone who may be able to help, please comment or message me. Thank you.