Nigerian athletes paid training grants, allowances – Sports minister

The Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Enoh, has disclosed that Nigeria’s local and foreign-based athletes have received training grants and allowances.

This, the minister said, was a testament to the ministry’s concerns for the welfare of the country’s athletes.

Enoh, tweeting as #OwanEnoh, noted on Tuesday via his X.com handle, that this would be the “first time ever” that home-based athletes representing the country would receive training grants.

His tweets read, “In ensuring that all local, foreign and Olympics allowances are paid to all Team Nigeria athletes, I had another interactive session with the athletes at the games village in Paris as follow up on their welfare.

“Home-based athletes complained of never receiving training grants, as this has only been a privilege for their foreign-based counterparts representing the country.

“We have ensured for the first time ever, home-based athletes representing the country also receive training grants. Foreign and home-based athletes have now received training grants in addition to all other allowances already paid.”

The minister stated that all athletes who represent the country “deserve training grants, as they all put in efforts and passion to represent the country. They are all deserving.

“There’s a lot of excitement at the games village and the athletes are greatly enthused for podium appearances.”

Nigerian athlete, Favour Ofili, qualified on Monday night for the final of the women’s 200 metres at the Olympic Games at the Stade de France in Paris, France.

She ran a season-best 22.05 seconds to place behind new women’s 100m champion Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia in heat 1 of the semi-finals.

She joins seven others in Tuesday evening’s final of the event, ranking third among the crowd.

In other sports, Nigerian wrestler, Blessing Oborududu, secured her place in the semi-finals of the women’s 68kg wrestling event at the Games as the world-ranked number 6 dominated her Canadian opponent, Linda Morais, with an 8-2 victory in the quarter-final match.

Also, the nation’s women’s senior basketball team, D’Tigress made it to the quarter-final of the event after being drawn against the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

D’Tigress made history by securing Nigeria’s first-ever berth in the last eight of the Olympics basketball tournament after their impressive 79-70 victory over Canada in their final group game on Sunday.