One of the Nigerian U-23 team members that was sent back to Nigeria over insufficient funds has lamented on the choice of the Sports Minister.
The U-23 team player lamented on how they paid their way through the competition starting from the hotel accommodation expenses.
Speaking on his untimely return, the team member said: “God will fight my fight for me. It was heart-breaking when we were told to quit the team’s hotel in Sao Paulo”.
He further told Africanfootball: “When we returned to Sao Paulo (from Salvador) they gave rooms to only the 18 players registered for the competition and even some team officials did not get hotel rooms too. For the two extra nights we spent in Brazil, we had to pay with our own money for our hotel and feeding. That is life for you.”
Speaking on the development, an NFF Official told The Cable: “Yes, it is true that the curator, media officer as well as the two alternative players have been asked to go back to Nigeria. The ministry can only take care of 18 players and seven officials. The ministry cannot afford to be paying for extra rooms, feeding, allowances out of the 25 people that are supposed to make up the team to the Olympics. The aforementioned people have already left the team’s hotel and are no longer with us”.