•N5m for each gold medalist •Falconets receive N1m each
President Goodluck Jonathan last night opened the vault and showered cash on Nigeria’s delegation to the just concluded Paralympics in London and the Falconets,the women Under-20 football team for their exploits in Japan.
The President at a special reception in honour of the Paralympics athletes and officials as well as the Falconets,gave each of the gold medalists N5million and the silver medalists N3million each.
The bronze medalists went home with N2million each while the other members of the delegation were rewarded with N500000 each.
The Falconets who placed fourth in the World women Under-20 football completion got N1million each for their effort.Their coaches got a similar amount.
The Nigerian special athletes won a total of 13 medals- six gold, five silver and two bronze medals. On the overall medals table, Team Nigeria finished 22nd position in the world and third in Africa behind Tunisia and South Africa that placed first and second respectively.
officials got N1million.
The Falconets presented a jersey with the players autograph to the president.
Speaking at the occasion, Jonathan decried the abysmal performance of Nigerian athletes at the London Olympics, describing it as a huge disappointment.
He underscored the urgent need to revamp the sporting sector to restore it to its glorious days. To achieve this, the President said government will convene a national sport retreat to address critical issues in the sector.
He said key actors in the federal and state governments, the private sector, retired and active sports men and women will participate in the retreat.
Jonathan also called on state governments to take sport seriously and engage youths in various sporting competitions with a view to catching them young.
He commended the Paralympians and Falconets for their outstanding performances and assured that government will ensure that preparation for any global sporting event starts early.
He equally noted that attention will be paid to the provision of infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Governor Rotimi Ameachi of Rivers and Sport Minister, Bolaji Abdulahi disagreed over the possible cause of the failure of the country’s team at the 2012 Olympics.
While the minister blamed indiscipline and lack of determination on the part of the athletes, the governor said it was mainly as a result of inadequate preparation.
Bolaji had noted that the difference between the Olympians and the Paralympians was the issue of high level of commitment and discipline.
But the governor disagreed with him as he noted that determination and discipline without proper preparation will always lead to failure.
He asked that the country “should not be too hard on our athletes. No matter how determined our athletes are if we don’t prepare well we would not win any medal.”
He therefore called for early preparation for the next games slated for Brazil in 2016.
Speaking on the Paralympians, Ameachi said they had comforted Nigerians with their performance – something their able bodied colleagues could not do
He used the opportunity to call on the Federal Government to pay attention on the disturbing rise in polio incidents in the country.
He said rather than increase the numbers of those on wheel chairs as a result of polio, the president should call the attention of those concerned to urgently tackle the situation.
