MIKEL NAMED IN THE OLYMPIC SQUAD, GETS CAPTAIN BAND

Chelsea
midfielder
John Mikel Obi
has been
named in
Nigeria's final
18-man squad
for the 2016
Olympics in
Rio.
The 29-year-
old Nigeria
captain is one
of the squad's
permitted
quota of three
players over
the age limit
of 23.
Watford's
Odion Ighalo,
Kelechi
Iheanacho of
Manchester
City and
Arsenal's Alex
Iwobi miss out
having not
been released
by their clubs.
The men's
tournament -
won by Mexico
at London
2012 - begins
on 3 August,
two days
before the
opening
ceremony.
Those
selected for
the Games
would miss
much of the
English pre-
season and
potentially
the start of
the Premier
League and
this has
proved a
sticking point
between clubs
and country.
With many
teams not
releasing
players
goalkeeper
Daniel Akpeyi,
who plays in
South Africa,
is the only
other
overaged
player on the
Nigeria list for
The Games.
However,
Mikel is
excited by the
prospect of
playing in
Brazil, posting
on his
Instagram
page: "First
part of
Chelsea pre-
season done.
Off to Atlanta
to join the
Nigeria team
for the
Olympics
2016."
Nigeria, who
have been
drawn in Group
B of the Rio
Games
alongside
Sweden,
Colombia and
Japan, boast a
strong
Olympics
record.
They made
Olympic
football
history in
1996 by
becoming the
first African
team to win
the gold
medal. Nigeria
also finished
runners-up at
the 2008
Beijing
Olympics,
under coach
Samson Siasia,
who will again
take charge in
Brazil.
Meanwhile,
Siasia's car
was broken
into over the
weekend in
Atlanta,
Georgia,
where the
Nigeria team is
training, and
items
including his
credit cards,
two mobile
phones and
the phone of
his personal
assistant Abu
Daniel were
stolen.
"It's one of
the
unfortunate
things in life
but we are
focusing on
the Olympics."
Siasia told BBC
Sport.
Nigeria
Olympic squad:
Goalkeepers:
Daniel Akpeyi
(Chippa FC,
South Africa),
Emmanuel
Daniel (Enugu
Rangers)
Defenders:
Kingsley Madu
(AS Trencin,
Slovakia),
William
Troost-Ekong
(Haugesund
FC, Norway),
Ndifreke Udo
(Abia
Warriors),
Saturday
Erimuya
(Kayseri
Erciyespor,
Turkey),
Abdullahi
Shehu (CF
Uniao,
Portugal),
Muenfuh
Sincere
(Rhapsody FC),
Stanley
Amuzie
(Olhanense FC,
Portugal)
Midfielders:
John Mikel Obi
(Chelsea,
England),
Okechukwu
Azubuike
(Yeni
Malatyaspor,
Turkey),
Usman
Muhammed (CF
Uniao,
Portugal),
Oghenekaro
Etebo (CD
Feirense FC,
Portugal),
Sodiq Saliu
(Seraing FC,
Belgium)
Forwards:
Aminu Umar
(Osmalispor,
Turkey), Imoh
Ezekiel (Al
Arabi, Qatar),
Sadiq Umar
(AS Roma,
Italy), Junior
Ajayi (CS
Sfaxien,
Tunisia)