The Federal Government has tripled the prize money award for Team Nigeria medallists at the ongoing Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Making the announcement Tuesday in Tokyo after Wrestler Blessing Oborodudu won Team Nigeria’s second medal of the Games, Director, Federation and Elite Athletes Department (FEAD) of the Youth and Sports Development Ministry, Dr Simon Ebohdjaiye says the gesture is in appreciation of the impressive and historic performances put up by the athletes.
“The gesture is to drive home the point that the Federal Government rewards superlative efforts,” said the Director who praised the athletes for their massive exploits in Tokyo.
“Gold medallist will now be rewarded with $15,000 while silver and bronze medal winners will each get $10,000 and $7,500 respectively. The earlier award is $5,000 for gold, $3,000 for silver and $2,000 for bronze”.
Oborodudu who made history as the first Nigerian wrestler, man or woman to win an Olympic medal courtesy of the silver medal she won in the women’s 68kg freestyle will get $10,000. Long jumper Ese Brume who officially won Nigeria’s first medal at the Games, a bronze will get $7,500 as a reward.
Her medal is the first won in track and field since 2008 at the Beijing Olympics where Blessing Okagbare and the women’s 4x100m relay team won a silver medal each.
There are still three Nigerians left in the Wrestling event led by world number one in her category, Odunayo Adekuruoye.
Also within the medal range is Chukwuebuka Enekwechi who will be competing in the men’s Shot Put final on Thursday.
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COMMENTS
That’s the problem with this country called Nigeria, throwing money at situation is the only thing they are good at, the next Olympic is in 3 or 4 years time, none of them will sit down and restructure the sporting sector by putting the necessary facilities and investment in place, then the eve to the next Olympic some people will wake up from their deep slumber to predict unrealistic medal haul to appease their over bloated ego, I rest my case!
Of course…their previous illusion of a medal haul is turning into a drunkard’s day-dream with every passing day at this olympics. People who wanted to reap when they’ve sown nothing thought our athletes would just walk into every venue and pick up medals of whatever colour they liked. The money had been budgeted for and released by the government so let it rather be spent rewarding athletes than being swallowed by the already greedy officials. Come 3 years time in Paris they will expect another medal haul when they’ve spent the whole of the 3 years doing nothing to help the cause of sports in the country.
This is the problem of this your country, always playing to the gallery….because giving them 15k would cover their negligence for lack of preparations for major sporting events…5 years later the athletes would still be dragging this same money with the government. No be today them start to dey shower gifts on athletes on social media but most times find it hard to deliver.
True
True talk Jones.
Well, well, well, it’s interesting though but let me digress a bit. I thought the sports ministry insisted that our national teams would be paid in Nigerian currency to strengthen the naira? How come the policy is not being implemented here abi the super eagles is different from our athletic teams? Why are they being paid in dollars instead of naira? Nigeria is a very, very funny country where policies are twisted to suit the sinister corrupt and devlish plans of the powers that be. When it comes to the super eagles, every tom, dick and harry would remember how to speak English. They would turn economic and financial experts over night and consequently turning home office executives that determine the number of foreign and domestic based players that should be allowed to make up the team (local content policy). It’s a pity…..
Hhahahahaha…..I remember @Oakfield. I remember when they were all acting like Super Teddy just because they wanted to renew a contract….as if anybody put rope for their neck to renew am before…..LMAOooo. I remember them talking about paying in Naira in order to “strengthen the Naira”…..LMAOOOoo…abeg help us ask dem and their online slaves how market…? I hope their naira don gather biceps and triceps now….LMAOOOo.
Instead of improving structure and function of sports money is sprayed to incentuvise athletes midway through a competition