3 weeks ago
31
- The Nigeria women’s basketball team made history at the recently concluded Paris 2024 Olympics
- D’Tigress secured victories against Australia and Canada on their way to sealing a spot in the quarter-finals
- Assistant coach, Abiola Olajuwon, has taken to social media to slam Nigeria’s sports ministry over unpaid allowances
All is not well within the camp of the history-making Nigeria women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, especially in the aftermath of the Olympic Games.
The Women’s AfroBasket champions, who entered the Paris Games in what many dubbed the "Group of Death," defied expectations with commanding victories over Australia and Canada. These impressive wins not only silenced sceptics but also set a new African record in Olympic history.
Source: Getty Images
D’Tigress' remarkable run secured them a place in the quarter-finals. However, the formidable Nigerian team eventually fell to the tournament favourites, the United States, bringing an end to their fairy-tale journey.
In the aftermath of their historic performance, tensions have risen in the aftermath of the Olympics. Assistant head coach, Abiola Olajuwon, has publicly criticised the Ministry of Sports over unpaid wages, highlighting ongoing issues within the team’s camp.
D’Tigress assistant coach calls out Sports ministry
In a post shared on her social media page, the assistant coach of the Connecticut Sun, who was recently appointed as the assistant coach of Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, as reported by Brila.net, criticised the sports ministry over her unpaid allowances from the Paris Games.
The assistant coach, who is also the daughter of the legendary Hakeem Olajuwon, revealed that the federation is cunningly trying to avoid paying her for all the fixtures she oversaw, under the pretext that she works in the United States.
Additionally, she called out head coach Rena Wakama for removing her from the team’s WhatsApp group, and highlighted that the team members who did receive payments were paid far less than what was agreed upon before the Paris Games.
The Nigeria Sports Ministry and respective federations have a well-documented history of owing wages and allowances to athletes, and it appears that this issue persists despite the team’s historic and impressive performance at the Paris Olympic Games.
Wakama names best moment from the Olympics
Legit.ng in another report detailed that the coach of Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, Wakama, named her best moment from the Paris Olympics.
The 32-year-old opted for the maiden victory against Australia as her best moment from the recently concluded Paris showpiece.
Source: Legit.ng
English (US) ·