By Patrick Omorodion
Out-going president of the Nigerian Wrestling Federation, Dr. Daniel Igali has warned against the elevation of some sports above others by the Nigerian government.
Dr. Igali who spoke to Sports Vanguard on telephone from his Yenagoa base in Bayelsa State said that Team Nigeria won about 46 gold medals at the last African Games but no reward was given to the athletes.
”Just imagine the amount of money given to them. N150 million each to a group of individuals? It doesn’t make sense.
The England female team who also won the European Cup, how much was given to them?
The government has started something they cannot finish. They have created first and second class citizens among sports people.
I am not happy at all. The Super Falcons had a regular flight to return home but the government sent a charter flight to go bring them back. Is it because it is football,”he queried.
He disclosed that a government which is now splashing huge amount of money on the team couldn’t even sponsor supporters to Morocco to cheer them up.
”I was in Morocco, there was no provision for supporters to cheer them. We mobilized ourselves to support them.
I thank President Tinubu for his gesture though but I will remind him that they have created first and second class citizens in sports.
Very soon other sports will start protesting and ask only football to represent the country at the Olympics and other Games,” he warned.
He concluded by stressing that “if anybody should be rewarded with a house or $100,000, it should be Tobi Amusan who won a world in championship gold medal with a world record “.
