The Nigerian contingent at the Commonwealth Games has threatened to embark on a strike following the unavailability of their training kit and lack of payment of their entitlements as promised by the Sports Ministry.

The teams were reported to be involved in a bitter row with the sports ministry concerning training grants and kits before the events kicked off.

They were forced to protest after discovering that there were no signs they would be paid their entitlements as promised by the ministry.

They had also been furious about not being given their training kits as the Athletics Federation of Nigeria provided none after allegedly receiving money from the ministry to buy them.

The Nigerian-based athletes had supported the foreign-based athletes who insisted on being paid their training grants before representing the country but also demanded theirs to be paid and with the same value.

Sports minister Solomon Dalung statement by his media aide, Nneka Anibeze had saved Nigeria from a great embarrassment and prevented the athletes from protesting, promising the athletes that government would not discriminate against any athletes in the payment of training grants after visiting them at the Games Village.

“I am here to make clarifications on certain developments that will portray us in a bad light, disturb our unity of purpose and has a possibility of distracting our attention from success,” the minister was quoted as saying in the statement.

“The issue of training grants is an exclusive reserve of the Federal Government presently handled by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and it is a decision that will always be taken in our national interest.

“A statement suggesting discrimination is not at all in our interest. Grants are paid based on categorisation and not based on the principle of where you are resident or where you train.”

“The minister told the athletes that he would buy the kits for them. Heads will roll in the AFN and ministry after the Games.” a source said.



Source: http://hotsportstv.com/team-nigeria-protest-poor-welfare-commonwealth-games/

*Sigh*

I'm just tired of the kind of news coming out of this country. Abeg make dem ensure people go to prison for offences like this. This is exactly why talented Nigerian athletes will run to defend another country's flag.

I don't blame Nigerians who go to represent other countries in their sports.The dullard president will just sit in aso rock doing nothing.Especially,when a any of his party members or appointees embezzles money.