By Daily Sports on April 13, 2018

Rumours circulating about a potential disappearance of some Nigeria athletes at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Australia has reportedly sparked anxiety among sports ministry officials at the competition.

Cameroon was thrust into the spotlight during the week after eight of its 24 athletes for the Games disappeared from the Games Village without traces.

Commonwealth Games officials condemned the development and expressed their disappointment that some of the missing athletes abandoned their events.

And reports in some sections of the Australian media claimed some Rwanda, Uganda and Sierra Leone athletes have also gone missing.

According to ABC Local, a Gold Coast migration agent Ian Natherson says more than 40 Commonwealth Games athletes including Nigerians, Mauritians, Ghanaians have contacted his firm to inquire about how they can stay in Australia.

Nigeria officials are said to be very disturbed by the development and have moved to save the country an international embarrassment by ensuring that no athlete disappears at the Games.

Sources close to the national team in Australia told our correspondent on Thursday that sports minister Solomon Dalung warned ministry and federation officials they would be penalised if any of the athletes in their care at the Games go missing.

Our correspondent learnt that the minister, who is allegedly interested in contesting the Plateau State governorship, is said to be worried that the disappearance of any Nigeria athletes in Australia would affect his political career.

The permanent secretary of the ministry Olusade Adesola, who visited the athletes in the Games Village on Thursday advised them not to emulate their Cameroonian counterparts.

“Defection, no doubt, brings embarrassment to any Government. But the truth is that most of these athletes don’t know that those countries they are running to are no El Dorado,” Adesola was quoted as saying in a statement by Team Nigeria Press Attaché Tony Ubani.

“There is no place like your country and that which you are running away from will confront you many times there and you’ll live miserably and hide perpetually. Before you know it, you’ll be full of regrets.”

Meanwhile, reports on Thursday also claimed Dalung is not happy that the athletics team have only won silver courtesy of Chukwuebuka Enekwechi in men’s shot put.

Our correspondent learnt that the Athletics Federation of Nigeria has allegedly come under intense pressure from the minister following the country’s failure to win gold in the track and field despite the AFN’s assurances that they have the materials to do so.

“The minister was furious with the AFN leadership for the poor results from athletics,” the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorised to speak publicly about the issue, said.

“But the AFN officials blamed the poor results on the timing of the Games, that our athletes always have problems each time the Games are held in Australia, because our training programmes.”

Nigeria have a chance to win some medals before the Games end on Sunday, with Stephen Mozia in the men’s discuss final and Tobi Amusan in the women’s 100m hurdles final. (Agency reports)

•Photo shows Team Nigeria marching during the opening ceremony of the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Australia

Source Daily Sports

Posted April 13, 2018

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