Posted by By Elyger Agwu on
A triple gold medallist with the Rivers State Sports Council has accused the Rivers State Government and the State Sports Council of neglecting athletes in the state.
A triple gold medallist with the Rivers State Sports Council has accused the Rivers State Government and the State Sports Council of neglecting athletes in the state.
This accusation came on the heels of what the victim saw as a grand plan to crumble all other sports in the state.
Making this accusation at the weightlifting gym of the Alfred Diete Spiff Sport Complex in Port Harcourt, Miss Chinyere Nwosu, while fielding questions from The Telegraph stated that the government has done nothing to motivate other athletes who have also brought glory to the state in their respective sports .
According to her, the government has not made any move to redeem its promises of compensations to the state athletes who were part of the contingent to the Abuja 2004 sports meet.
Miss Chinyere Nwosu, a weightlifter with the sports council, said that the Governor of the state, Dr. Peter Odili had declared compensation for each medal won in the Abuja 2004, the same day Dolphin Football Club was promised compensation for winning the Globacom Premier League and the 2004 FA Cup in the 2004 football season. She wondered why that of Dolphin would meet prompt redemption, while others have received no mention. It was announced that gold medals would attract the sum of N250, 000, whereas silver, browns would receive N200, 000 and N150, 00 each.
Miss Nwosu who won three gold medals said that the government had been exhibiting a painful attitude of indifference to the plight of the athletes in the state. According to her, the state sports council promised the athletes employment as a sort of motivation for representing the state in various competition but lamented that for the four years she'd been with the council she'd still remained unemployed.
She called on the state government to quickly redeem the promises made. In her words, Chinyere said, "I kindly call on the Rivers State government to redeem the pledge made on our arrival from Abuja. There I won three gold medals for Rivers State. Dr. Peter Odili, the executive governor, promised to compensate us but until now, we've not got anything. I am unemployed and need the money to help me in my daily up-keep as well as' medical expenses.
She reiterated that the athletes are suffering because they are unduly neglected. She wondered why such development could occur when they have been bringing glory to the state and urged the state government to look into the ugly trend as the abandonment could bring negative impact to the psyches of athletes in the state.