Coach Samson Siasia has pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene and save Nigeria from the embarrassment Team Nigeria is currently experiencing in Brazil.
Siasia has led the team to the quarter final stage of the men’s football event in Rio 2016 Olympics despite the shortcomings during preparations. Aside the fact that he is being owed by the FA, his players allowances have not been paid, and players have been mandated to return their second jersey.
Among the myriad of negatives, reports also have it that the team almost missed their flight to Salvador due to unpaid hotel bills of the extra five officials that accompanied the team to Brazil despite the organizers’ insistence on having just 25 including officials. Captain of the team John Obi Mikel coughed out $4,000 to offset the bills we garnered, which is fine to deny (like he did previously).
Nigeria’s sole representative in Boxing, Efe Ajagbe is preparing for his fight but does not have a sparring partner and he would be stepping into the rings with old kits. We can do better!
Frankly speaking, the sort of embarrassment Nigeria has been drawn into lately in nothing to write home about. It is understandable that Mr President is attending to other pressing matters in the country, but it seems the Sports minister and the NFF are slacking on this issue.
For sure, the President does not want a situation where all our athletes and sportsmen would change nationalities due to the ill-treatment they have suffered. what kind of seed are we sowing in the minds of young lads back home who are dreaming of representing Nigeria in the future?
We do not have to wait till the end of Olympics, please, it is high time the sporting sector is healed of this grievous sickness.
