By Maxwell Kumoye and Ben Efe in Accra.
The National Sports Commission (NSC) is facing pressure to expedite grant payments to Nigeria’s top athletes, with the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, scheduled for September 13-21, 2025 just around the corner.
Coaches, led by Gabriel Opuana, President of the Nigeria Coaches Association, are concerned about the NSC’s silence on grant payments for elite athletes earlier in the year.
“Some athletes have been paid grants while others have not been paid,” said Opuana.
Opuana says this development is ripping the athletes apart. “This is causing disaffection among the athletes and it’s one of the reasons they are not giving their best in the chase for relays.”
Meanwhile some of the US based athletes who are competing at the CAA region 2 have expressed concerns about the lack of incentives offered to them for coming home to participate in the National trials and then staying behind for the Championship in Accra, Ghana.
“These are athletes who are supposed to be doing summer jobs to help their finances in the USA.
“They are going back to school without receiving any incentives for representing Nigeria, it will be good for the NSC to kindly honour their commitment,” said coach Tony Osheku.
The athletes include:
• Favour Onyah
• Pristina Ochonogor
• Onwaeze Nnamdi
NSC Elite Athletes Development and Podium Board CEO Yusuf Alli, was not available for comment on the issue.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s men 4x400m relay team at the CAA region 2 Championships needed an extra fast leg to run below three minutes and qualify for the World Championships in Tokyo Japan next month.
Running Tuesday morning at the University of Ghana Sports Complex Gafari Badmus led the team to a 3.05.22secs finish ahead of Ghana who returned a time of 3.06.34 secs.
The Nigeria team has to run at least 2.56.00 to overhaul Zambia in the top 16 qualifiers August 24 is the deadline.
“All we needed was a 44 runner, but we didn’t have the luxury of bringing Samuel Ogazi and Chidi Okezie here, we could have made that mark,” coach Tony Osheku.
“But our boys did their best, I’m sure if there is another opportunity for them to compete they can make an improvement.,” he stated.
In the women’s 4x400m, Patience Okon George rediscovered her form, but it was not good enough to lead the Nigerian quartet into the qualification zone; they ran 3.33.83secs to best Ghana with a time of 3.46.63secs for the gold.
“Okon-George was remarkable in her lap, she posted a 51.1, unlike on Monday in the 400m flat. She wasn’t feeling too well in that race.
“But we are satisfied with their performance even as they couldn’t run what we desire.” Osheku added.
The 4x100m teams on Monday despite dominating the event, also did not hit the World Championships qualifying mark.
