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The Minister of Youth and Sports Solomon Dalung, has assured Nigerian athletes currently in the Commonwealth Games village in Gold Coast, that the federal government will not discriminate against athletes during payment of training grants.
The issue of training grants is an exclusive reserve of the federal government presently handled by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and it is a decision that will always be taken in our national interest.
He cautioned the athletes on intimidation of the younger ones and urged them to guard against causing problems in camp through rumour mongering and false information capable of breaking the unity and peace of the camp.
If per adventure, an athlete decided not to participate or compete for Nigeria, that is not a problem but you must not use your decision of not serving Nigeria to influence other athletes. That is unacceptable.
Responding on behalf of her Colleagues, the new African 200m record holder Blessing Okagbare thanked the minister for his fatherly advise and his clarification on some issues affecting the team.
She promised that the team will do their best to make Nigeria proud at the ongoing Games.
Elsewhere at the Oxemford Studios, Nigeria's Millicent Agboegbulem fights Elizabeth Andiego of Kenya in the quarter final of women's 75kg boxing weight class while Lukmon Lawal faces Uganda's Regarn Singwa in the men's 81kg round of 16.
The men's Table Tennis team take on England in the semi final while D'Tigers also face Australia in the preliminaries of the basketball event in Cairns.
