30th July, 2021
By Muhaimin Olowoporoku
Sunday Dare, the Minister of Youths and Sports has said the ministry will investigate circumstances surrounding the disqualification of 10 Nigerian athletes at the ongoing Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
The minister said this on Friday in a statement by the Federal Ministry of Sports titled, ‘Statement: Ministry Wades to stem crisis.
Dare apologised to the athletes in the statement as he promised the ministry would look into some of the issues the athletes have raised and ensure they are being addressed soon.
The minister was also said to have spoken to athletes affected according to the statement.
Dr. Simon Ebhojiaye, the Director, Federation of Elites Athletes Department in the statement also said the ministry is aware of the challenges athletes at the Tokyo Olympics face.
He noted that the ministry is addressing them.
P.M. News reported on Friday that athletes who were disqualified from taking part in the track and field events in the Olympics took to the street of Tokyo to protest.
The protesting athletes carried placards with different inscriptions.
Blessing Okagbare, one of the Nigerian athletes, had also come out to lash the Athletics Federation of Nigeria.
Okagbare said that the sport system in Nigeria is flawed and that athletes are always at the receiving end of the damages.