Paris Olympics Camping: Team Nigeria Boxers cry out over shoddy treatment

Team Nigeria boxers currently in camp in Ibadan ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics have lamented the shoddy treatment they’re going through in their camp with an appeal to the Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Enoh to urgently come to their rescue.

Investigations by our correspondent revealed that the living condition in the camp is nothing to write home about and the team only surviving by the Grace of God with coaches sharing rooms with their athletes.

A visit to the camp shows that National team coaches are paired two in a room while those that came to assist them including Doctors, Nurses, physiotherapists, Camp Commandant and the Federation’s Secretary are all in single rooms which could be described as an anomaly.

Our investigation further revealed that coaches allowances have been reduced from N 3,000 to N1,500 per day not minding the high cost of living being witnessed in the country and as if this is not enough, their international allowances was also reduced from $200 to $150 per a day.

“It’s quite unfortunate that we’re going through this type of poor treatment. We’re worried because it was the same shoddy treatment that was meted to the team during preparations for African Games in Ghana that’s rearing it’s ugly head again.

“How can one explain that coaches are sharing rooms even with their athletes and as if this is not enough, their allowances reduced to N1,500 a day from N3,000 which cannot afford two square meals in the present day Nigeria considering the high cost of living.
” This situation has led to depression among the coaching crew and it’s likely to affect their training schedule because we need a good camping environment for them to give their best”, stated our source.

The team is now appealing to the Honourable Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Enoh to carry out a proper investigation on the issues raised with the aim of resolving it so that it will not affect the chances of the country’s boxing team making a podium finish at the global sporting event.

” All we want is for ministerial intervention to the whole saga. We know that Minister Enoh is an astute administrator who wants to leave a lasting legacy in the Sports Ministry and that’s why we’re calling for his intervention to avoid poor performance of our boxers at the Olympics”, the source concluded.