Former NBA Star Olumide Oyedeji who is also a leader in the Nigeria LOC for the Olympics has revealed the intense level of preparations ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics, ongoing qualifiers in different events as well as providing clarity on African Games athletes’ payment.
Following the conclusion of the 2023 African Games in Ghana where Nigeria finished second behind Egypt, there have been outbursts from some section of the participants concerning their payments as some have received while others are yet to get theirs.
Speaking on the preparation for the Olympics in an interview on Eagle FM, the ex D’Tigers captain said;
“The Olympic committee has to prepare the athletes and hand them over to the Nigerian government, the president before the Olympics. The Olympic committee didn’t start the job right now, it has begun a long time to ensure that some of our athletes who are on scholarship are taking care of their body and training for the event”.
“We are working with the ministry to get prepared for the games and also helping federations who still have qualifiers to get on ahead with it, kudos to the minister for his help in getting some of these things done”.
“Now, you can see that wrestling just qualified more athletes to the Olympics, boxing did the same and athletics is going to do the same as well. Look at Falcons who are also close to it, hopefully they win their game so that they can be on their way to Paris”, he added.
“The medical, technical, and athlete commissions are on ground to make sure that they do what they have to do to make this event possible, closely working hand in hand alongside every department with the ministry”.
Concerning African Games allowances yet unpaid’;
“The just concluded African games was not managed by the Olympic committee, it is by African Union and its by the government. The LOC got carried on in the event and as the chairman, I have rights to information in order to provide clarity”.
“This is the first time the athletes will be asked to submit their bank account for money to be sent to them, Normally, they get cash because we used to get cash at the game but this time, there’s scarcity of dollars and they can’t give it out. CBN will then process the payment with the details provided, we shouldn’t forget that there were issues of networks too”.
“The Central Bank couldn’t send money to some of the accounts they submitted like Palmpay, OPAY and also they had discrepancies with their BVN which has caused delay but 70% of them have gotten their money, I can boldly confirm”, Olumide assured.
“There will always be issues, things won’t all be smooth so hopefully, this hassle and issues will be settled in subsequent games and events”, he concluded.
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