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nairaland.net • View topic - Fasuba threatens to dump Nigeria

Fasuba threatens to dump Nigeria

Fasuba threatens to dump Nigeria

Postby Richard Akindele » Sun Apr 16, 2006 3:49 pm

Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games 100m silver medallist, Olusoji Fasuba, on Friday threw Nigerian athletics into a foul mood, announcing that he is contemplating dumping Nigeria to race for an unnamed country.

In a BBC interview, Fasuba, one of the latest sprinting talents in Nigeria, said he might make change his nationality if he had an approach from “a good country.�

Fasuba, the national champion, based his consideration on the fact that Nigerian athletes were poorly treated.

“The situation in the country does not favour athletes to prepare well for competitions,� Fasuba, who won the 2006 championship in 10.13secs in Abuja, said. “There is no training grant for us to train overseas, and when it comes, it is very small.�

Fasuba, who won the silver medal in Australia behind world record holder Asafa Powell in a time of 10.11secs, blamed the federal Sports Ministry and the athletics authorities for the poor welfare of Nigerian athletes.

The 21-year-old sprinter said there were better opportunities for athletes to excel outside the shores of Nigeria and “this will always fascinate Nigerian athletes who see what is happening elsewhere.�

Fasuba, who has a personal best of 10.09secs from a Nairobi race in May 2005, also blamed corporate organisations for their lukewarm response to the sponsorship of Nigerian athletes.

“You don’t see the big private companies sponsor Nigerian athletes like is done in other parts of the world,� Fasuba said. “The private companies are not helping sports at all in Nigeria.�

Sunday Bada, the technical director of the Athletic Federation of Nigeria, expressed surprise at the turn of events on Saturday.

Bada said: “Fasuba is right about the poor welfare of Nigerian athletes. We all know that Nigeria doesn’t treat its athletes well.

“But I have not heard him saying that he will dump the country. That will be a real surprise.�

In the recent past, Francis Obikwelu and Gloria Alozie defected to Portugal and Spain respectively.

Obikwelu later went on to win a silver medal for Portugal in the men’s 100m in the Athens 2004 Olympic Games in Greece.

Only on Saturday, former World Cup winner, Uchenna Emedolu, denied Australian newspaper reports that he was set to change his nationality to that of Australia (see Saturday Punch, April 15, 2006).

Emedolu, 29, had been named along with Esther Aghatise, Mabel Madojeme and Uzodinma Alozie as making moves to become Australian nationals.

-SUNDAY PUNCH-
Richard Akindele
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