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Nigerian-born former England international Eniola Aluko will not be part of ITV’s television coverage for this year’s FIFA World Cup, but the former football star’s representatives have rejected claims she has been “abandoned” by the broadcaster.
Initial reports in the UK had suggested that Aluko was left out of ITV’s pundit team following previous controversies involving colleague Ian Wright.
Read also: Eniola Aluko left the coverage of the World Cup after controversial confrontations with co-analysts | Sports247 Nigeria
However, Aluko’s representatives insist the narrative is misleading and say she had already informed ITV almost a year ago that she did not wish to continue pursuing UK broadcast opportunities for the time being.
According to his representatives, Aluko publicly discussed the decision earlier this year during an appearance on talkSPORT.
“You cannot remove her from a role from which she had already moved away,” explained her representatives.
The clarification also challenges suggestions that his absence from ITV’s World Cup plans is linked to his widely discussed disagreement with Wright.
Representatives noted that Aluko continued to work with ITV after the controversy, including during coverage of the Women’s European Championship, and maintains a friendly relationship with the broadcaster.
Instead, Aluko has focused on football and media projects outside the UK and recently appeared on Monday Night Football on SuperSport in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, ITV recently unveiled a high-profile World Cup line-up featuring names such as Gary Neville, Roy Keane, Patrick Vieira and former Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou.
Reports in sections of the UK media about Aluko’s omission have since been amended or removed following clarification from his side.
