Mali pull out of Olympic qualifiers

The 2016 Rio Olympic Games qualifiers between the Super Falcons and their Malian counterparts scheduled for this weekend has been canceled after Mali’s Female Eagles pulled out.

The cancellation was announced through a letter from the FIFA to the Nigerian Football Federation on the evening of Thursday, May 7.

“We would like to urgently share with you that the Mali Football Federation has just formally notified FIFA of the withdrawal of its women’s national team from the Olympic qualifiers. By way of consequence, both leg matches of the 2nd round are cancelled and your women’s national team is automatically qualified for the 3rd round matches. Further details regarding the 3rd round will follow in due course,” the letter from Gordon Savic, Head of FIFA World Cup and Olympics Qualifiers reads.

Reasons from the pull-out was not revealed in the letter but it has been reported that the Mali FA canceled because they don't have enough resources to fulfil both legs.

The Super Falcons are now through to the third round of the qualifiers.