Over recent weeks, the lack of funding has been a big issue with Nigerian athletes in Brazil, particularly with the football team which has had to fund itself. Skipper Mikel Obi has been reported to have cleared the team's hotel bill after it got stuck in Atlanta where it was training and since arriving in Rio, the team has not been paid any allowances.
Responding to the embarrassment after the Nigeria/Brazil basketball match in Rio, Mr Dalung said the ministry is refunding all athletes’ extra personal costs incurred on the road to the Olympics. He assured the athletes that none of them would leave Brazil without getting back all legitimate expenses incurred on behalf of Nigeria.
Mr Dalung said: “The moment I heard of the complaints I quickly called the permanent secretary because I had approved the refunds of all such monies before we all left Abuja for Rio. The explanation he gave to me was that they had started and they were doing it sport-by-sport and in no time they would have dealt with every athlete owed."
Team Nigeria captain Mikel has said the national U-23 team will go into today’s semi-final game against Germany with a winning mentality, like they have done in their previous games. Mikel, who is also the U-23 team captain, said he intends picking up a medal before returning to join his English Premier League side Chelsea.
“For every game we want to play, we prepare to win. Not one match is different and our focus remains the same,” Mikel added.
Meanwhile, it is doubtful if forward Oghenekaro Etebo, who scored four goals in the team’s opening game versus Japan, will be fit for the crucial game against the Germans. He picked up an injury during the final Group B 2-0 defeat to Colombia and missed the quarter-final clash against Denmark.
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