Crisis as local athletes demand equal training grant

Nigeria-based athletes who are representing the country at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games are demanding same  training grants as their foreign-based counterparts, The According reports.

The agitation stemmed from the Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh, announcing payment of the training grant to athletes on Tuesday.

Enoh said the athletes were paid after initial complaints by the home-based athletes about an age-old tradition of not being paid training grants for competitions.

“In ensuring that all local, foreign, and Olympic allowances are paid to all Team Nigeria athletes, I had another interactive session with the athletes at the games village in Paris to 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 who represent the country,” Enoh posted on X.

“We have ensured for the first time that 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. All athletes deserve training grants, as they all put in effort and passion to represent the country.

They are all deserving.”

Enoh’s announcement was however met with another outcry over the disparity of the amount paid to the foreign-based athletes and their home-based counterparts.

The According learnt that the foreign-based athletes were paid a sum of $5,000 as their training grant for the Games, while their local counterparts got $1,000.

A member of the women’s 4x100m relay quartet, Olayinka Olajide, lamented the segregation.

“The session was indeed interactive, and we appreciate the transparency and full responsibility your office holds, sir,” Olajide wrote via X.

“However, I believe there should be no segregation when it comes to training grants. We all are Nigerian athletes, and we deserve a full right. We appreciate this new progression, but there is no reason local-based athletes should be paid 20 per cent of the amount given to foreign-based athletes.

“I bring to your notice, dear Minister, that there’s no Nigerian price or special treatment to get the necessary things we need as local-based.”

Another home-based athlete who pleaded anonymity hailed the minister for his transparency, buttressing Olajide’s point of view.

“There is nothing like home-based or foreign-based in this context because we are all the same. We train, pay for transport, and even spend more than some of our mates abroad because the economy and the system of the country at home will make us spend more.

“It is the home-based athletes who eventually become foreign-based. We even have to pay our coaches who are training us at home,” he noted.

Some Nigerians also threw their weight behind the athletes.

“Is there a dichotomy between athletes representing the country? Should they have asked before being paid? This is all wrong,” Martinos Francis lamented.

“Home-based athletes are rightfully complaining about this clear disparity. This unfair treatment is demoralising for our local talent representing the same country as the foreign-based athletes who were once local-based. Every athlete deserves equal recognition and support, regardless of their base,” Gholahan Oyewo said.

The Sports Minister had confirmed before the start of the Games that the Federal Government approved the sum of N12b for Team Nigeria with N9m budgeted for the Olympics, while the remaining N3b will cater for the Paralympics team, who will compete in France from August 28 to September 8.