2019 AAG: Sports Ministry goes tough on Nigeria foreign based Athletes

July 26 13:54 2019 by The Ajasa News Print This Article

By Martin Odiete

The Ministry of Youth and Sports had declared that it will not be business as usual for Nigeria Foreign based Athletes saying that return tickets would now only be procured for those who have already secured qualification for Games.

The Ministry Permanent Secretary, Adesola Olusade disclosed this to ww.theajasanews.com in Abuja on Thursday after an interactive meeting with the Presidents and Secretaries of the various sporting Federations. He noted that much as the ministry is ready to pay all their entitlements after securing qualification, they are no longer disposed to wasting flight ticket monies on foreign based Athletes that are still seeking qualification.   

“To the foreign Athletes we have also assured them that their training grant will be paid. Their ticket when they qualify will be paid, because we need to get it right. We cannot pay a return ticket to an Athlete that you have not seen. Or to an Athlete that will come here and will not qualify or to an Athlete you don’t even know his state of fitness. If you make payment to him now and he is not fit, he not feature and you have lost.

“So, we want to make sure that these Athletes that are going, participate at the trial and are fit to go, and are also qualified. We discussed this with the Federation and they all understood and this message will be convened to our Athletes in Diaspora for them to know. Right from the gold Coast in 2018 the Ministry has been alive to its responsibilities and that there will be no cause to fear. If they are qualified all their entitlement would be paid,”

Meanwhile, the permanent secretary has expressed satisfaction with the level of preparation for the Games saying that from the report from the Federation presidents during the interaction, they are on the right track.

“Preparation by the Athletes is going on fine. The presidents from their reports and from this interaction shows that we are on top of the situation and the athletes are in camp. They are doing the trials to select their shortlist. Some have even submitted theirs. Fifteen Federations out of the twenty two have submitted their shortlist; the others have been enjoined to make sure they are submitted not later than 10am on Saturday to enable us meet with the deadline.