Shooting Stars Sports Club (SSC) has officially declared winger Ayodele Ismail absent without leave (AWOL), confirming in a formal statement that the player abandoned the club without authorisation.
The Ibadan-based Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) side issued the statement on Saturday, July 18, 2026. The club attributed the player's unexplained exit to the conduct of an Egyptian-based agent linked to AMB Sports Management, whom the club described as unprofessional.
Club Details Unauthorized Departure
Shooting Stars did not specify exactly when Ismail left or where he is believed to have gone, but the club made clear that no legitimate clearance was granted for his departure. The statement indicated that the club intends to pursue the matter in line with applicable football regulations, signalling a possible FIFA or CAF complaint against either the player, the agent, or both.
The involvement of a foreign agent operating outside established transfer protocols has drawn particular attention. Nigerian clubs have increasingly raised concerns about unlicensed intermediaries approaching players and facilitating moves without going through the proper channels, a practice that violates FIFA's regulations on working with intermediaries.
Club to Pursue Regulatory Action
Shooting Stars' decision to go public with the AWOL declaration suggests the club views the situation as serious enough to warrant formal intervention rather than an internal resolution. The statement read:
“Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) wishes to inform the general public that our player, Ayodele Ismail, is currently Absent Without Leave (AWOL), having failed to report for official club duties despite being under a valid contract.
“The club is also aware of the involvement of an unprofessional agent, Abdelhamid Adel, who is affiliated with AMB Sports Management (Egypt), regarding the player’s unauthorized absence. This constitutes a serious breach of the player’s contractual obligations.”
By citing football regulations in its statement, the club appears to be laying the groundwork for a disciplinary process that could affect Ismail's ability to register with any new club until the dispute is resolved, per Soccernet.
Recent Tragedy at Shooting Stars
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Nigerian football community has been thrown into mourning as Shooting Stars assistant coach Akin Olowokere collapsed and died on Monday morning, August 11. The tactician, who was recently added to the 3SC technical crew following the departure of Gbenga Ogunbote’s team, slumped on the pitch and was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
