Sports minister, Solomon Dalung has sent two players and three officials of the national U-23 team back to Nigeria from the ongoing 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil.
Solomon Dalung
Two players of the national U-23 team and three football officials has been sent back to Nigeria from the ongoing 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil, by the Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung.
According to a report by Punch, the two alternate players are;
1. Stanley Dimgba (Player)
2. Yusuf Mohammed (Goalkeeper)
The officials sent packing by the minister from the games and flown out of Brazil to Nigeria on Monday night are;
1. Timi Ebikagboro - (Team’s media officer)
2. Team curator
3. Team coordinator
The Nigeria Football Federation spokesman said; “We said they should send them back home if they could not take care of them (players and officials.”
It was learnt that the Sports minister, Dalung had complained of the huge financial burden of taking care of the extra players and officials after the players were prevented from leaving the hotel over the unpaid bills of eight of their unaccredited players and officials.
He said 84 players and four officials – unofficially accredited persons had been with the team since they left Atlanta for Brazil.
“The organisers of the Games, the International Olympic Committee, are only responsible for 25 accredited players and officials including feeding, flights and accommodation. We have been carrying the rest along. In Manaus, we were forced to pay camp allowances to the extra four players making 29,” Dalung added.