CBN Tennis Open suffers hiccup, as players boycott play

Photo: Dayo Akindoju, President, Nigeria Tennis Federation.
By Ifeanyi Eduzor

The on-going 44th edition of the annual Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN) Tennis Open championship Friday suffered hiccup as players took over the court refusing to play in protest against non payment of their allowances.
Our investigation revealed that players made up of able and special athletes who crashed out of the preliminary stage since Monday, 16th May, 2022 were yet to be paid their allowances, hence they were still stranded in Abuja at the mercy of Nigeria Tennis Federation officials.

Some of the players who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity accused the President of withholding their money, alleging that a similar scenerio played out last year in the tournament and it took the persuasions of some highly placed individuals before the players were pacified to continue with the tournament.

However, some tennis stake holders wondered why such will be allowed to happen in a championship that has been going on seamlessly for more than four decades despite the fact that the Apex bank often provide money for the tournament weeks before its commencement.

As at the time of going to press the semi- finals which were supposed to have been completed Friday morning were yet to be played fueling doubts that the tournament will be concluded on Saturday as originally scheduled.
Meanwhile, in a telephone chat with the President of Nigeria Tennis Federation, Dayo Akindoju, he confirmed that they were having some problems but was quick to add that the issue was being resolved and they had started paying the athletes even as he expressed optimism that the finals will still hold on Saturday.
” It’s true we’re having some problems but as am talking with you I’m at the Ministry and we have started paying them.
” Part of the problem was that many of the athletes did not submit their account details but we’re on top of the situation and will definitely play the finals on Saturday as scheduled,” he explained.