Team Nigeria’s captain at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Quadri Aruna, is not satisfied with the treatment of athletes at the 2020 Games.
Aruna, who is Africa’s top-ranked table tennis player, shared his concerns via his Instagram handle @quadriaruna on Friday.
“You all wanted me to perform well but you removed my coach that qualified me to (who helped me to qualify for) the quarter-finals at the Rio 2016 Olympics,” the 32-year-old who exited the Games in the third round, said.
“I dare you all to remove me (from the national team) because I said the truth.
“Athletes are being short-paid (underpaid) and nobody should complain?
“If the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, doesn’t come and address the athletes, these officials will spoil all the good things you (Dare) have been doing.”
Aruna, however, is not the only one sharing these concerns from Tokyo.
Sprint star, Blessing Okagbare, expressed her displeasure at sports administrators for negligence of duty.
This is as 10 Nigerian athletes were on Wednesday declared ineligible to compete in the Games’ track and field events which began on Friday by the World Athletics.
They were declared ineligible for failing to comply with out-of-competition tests.
“I have said it before and I will say it again: if you don’t have knowledge of sports, not passionate about athletes, then you have no business there as an administrator,” Okagbare wrote on facebook.
“The sports system in Nigeria is so flawed and we athletes are always at the receiving end.
“They were busy fighting over power and exercising their pride over Puma contracts/kits forgetting their major responsibility (the athletes.)
“It is sad that the cycle keeps repeating itself and some people will come and say I am arrogant for speaking the truth. It is my career,” Okagbare said.
NAN
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