- The Presidential reception for athletes was held in honour of the success of Team Nigeria at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham
- The 2022 Commonwealth Games were held in Birmingham, England between 28 July and 8 August 2022
- Team Nigeria had up to 12 gold medals, 9 Silver Medals and 19 Bronze Medals at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Barely two days since the Presidential reception for athletes was held in honor of the success of Team Nigeria at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Coaches have protested on what was termed as a low grade treatment at the event.
All the Gold medalists were given N4.5 million each and two other athletes who got national awards of the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) given houses in Abuja.
The Coaches pointed out fingers to the organizers of the ceremony for having made them stand at the entire ceremony and ignored despite their contribution to the success of the team at the commonwealth games.
According to the Coaches only the athletes’ seats were preserved.
“A coach like Kayode Yaya, who has been working with Ese Brume over the years, was present at the hall, but he wasn’t even given a seat, not to talk of giving him and the others a mention.
“Names of athletes were pasted on seats in the hall and not one coach was given a seat, they were asked to stand at the back.” Said on of the Coaches.
He added that the coaches whose athletes had won gold medals were not recognized at the ceremony.
“All the coaches whose athletes won gold were not recognized,”
The ceremony held in Abuja and graced by President Muhammadu Buhari was to honor the team for a good performance in Birmingham dolling out N200 million that was to be shared by the athletes and their coaches.
All the Gold medalists were given N4.5 million each and two other athletes who got national awards of the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) given houses in Abuja.
The coaches, whose athletes won gold medals, were awarded N1.5 million, which was an annoying act for the athletes’ groomers.
According to Nigeria Track and Field Coaches Association’s chairman Solomon Aliu the act was horrifical and it was done in the contrary.
“It is appalling; this is not the way it is supposed to be.
Aliu added that all the people around the athletes worked tirelessly for their success but their efforts ended up un appreciated.
“People worked to make the athletes succeed. There is a chain… the medics, psychologists, welfare officers and on top the chain is the coach.
He applauded e Ministry for such a move but reiterated on the Coaches appreciation that it should be done in proper and respectful manner.
“I don’t know why the Ministry downgraded the coaches. In the past, if athletes got N2.5m, coaches got N2m. As much as I applaud the Ministry, they should try and encourage the coaches. That would make them happy to continue doing what they are doing.”
Gabriel Opuana, throws coach, whose athlete won a gold medal, also said coaches have not been given their due recognition though he didn’t attend the ceremony.
“I wasn’t at the awards, but I heard what happened. If it was football, coaches will get equal reward or more, but other sports’ coaches are not treated the same.
Opuana added that it not all about the money but proper recognition of the coaches saying the president did not even mention any coach in his speech.
“It is not even about the money, but it is good to recognize the coaches and the work they do. President Buhari did not even mention one coach during his speech.
“During the era of Goodluck Jonathan, it was not like this. Coaches made these athletes and it is time the sports ministry woke up to do the needful.
“I think that those who are advising the sports minister are the ones to blame for the shoddy treatment of coaches.”
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