Flight tickets for the up-coming Rio Olympic Games will be sent to foreign-based athletes by the Ministry of Youths and Sports during the week, according to reports.
The Youth and Sports Minister, Mr Solomon Dalung made the statement during a meeting with the President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Mr Solomon Ogba in Abuja on Monday, July 25. It was then made public by his Special Assistant, Nneka Ikem-Anibeze.
According to the statement, the sports minister had summoned Mr Ogba and the FEAD staff to address the rumour that the athletes were asked to foot their travel expenses. Mr Dalung assured everyone that the Federal Government’s have not given up on its commitment to ensuring that Nigerian athletes were well taken care of ahead of the Olympics.
The statement reads thus:
“The author of that e-mail lacks the authority to write on behalf of the Ministry or even the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“At no time did we ask our athletes to seek for funds to travel, knowing too well that athletes are very fragile people to be managed.
“There are so many things that come to play in determining their success. It’s not just skills, training and determination.
“The psychology of an athlete at the point of contest is also very important. So, if you ask them to look for money to buy air tickets, they will be thinking how sincere could you be in terms of planning for Rio.
“The said letter which generated a lot of negative reactions is not the position of the ministry.
“We have a responsibility to transport our athletes to and from anywhere they are, because they are on national assignment.
“Whosoever published that e-mail and his motive will definitely be investigated,’’ Dalung was quoted as saying.
The athletes will be leaving for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games through Ethiopia Airlines on the 1st of August
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