Paralympic team Capt laments presence of unauthorized officials at games
NAN-S-7
Officials
By Ehigimator Igbaugba
Benin, Oct 11, 2016 (NAN) Friday Aibangbe, captain of team Nigeria to the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games on Tuesday lamented attendance of games and competitions by officials who have no business being there.
Aibangbe told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin that the Federal Government should concentrate more on athletes in future games and competitions.
Aibangbe said that officials, who had no business being in Rio, were thrice more than the 23 athletes and six officials that represented the country at the games.
The team captain stressed that money that would have been expended on the athletes for better productivity, were wasted on these officials.
Aibangbe said that travelling arrangements to the Rio Games were not properly done, because the blind and those on wheel chairs had to transit from one country to the other en route Rio.
“We passed through difficulties with the travelling arrangements. It wasn’t the best for the Paralympics, especially the blind and those on wheel chairs among us.
“We ought to have been given a special travelling arrangement as disabled athletes. The arrangement made for Rio was poor, this accounted for the reason why we couldn’t get to the games early enough,” he stated.
Aibanbe, a discus thrower, said the athletes performed well at the games because they camped for four months.
Nigeria placed 17 at the end of the Games with 12 medals, 8 Gold, 3 Silver and 1 Bronze.(NAN)
ESI/EAL/MEMO
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Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi/Controlled by Mike Mbonye