By Daily Sports on August 7, 2016
The non-arrival of Team Nigeria’s official ceremonial outfits in Rio de Janeiro, which ‘forced’ athletes to appear in tracksuits during the opening ceremony of the 2016 Olympics Games Friday, has sparked a controversy between top officials of the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC) and the sports ministry.
Team Nigeria members were to wear official attires during their parade at Maracana Stadium for the opening ceremony. But this did not happen.
Rather, the athletes came out in tracksuits, an appearance that took many sports-loving Nigerians by surprise. There were reports yesterday that the attires made for Team Nigeria for the opening ceremony could not make it to the Olympics Games venue in Rio.
While some Nigerians voiced their anger on various sports programmes on radio and television, other took to social media to express their disappointment. They call for immediate probe of the circumstances that led to the embarrassment.
Speaking with The Guardian yesterday, an official of the NOC claimed ignorance of the attires made for Team Nigeria for the opening ceremony.
However, The Guardian was able to get across to the NOC President, Engr. Habu Gumel, in Rio at about 2:30 p.m. (Nigerian time), and he responded by saying: “I am going into a meeting with the Honourable minister now. I will get back to you soon.”
Gumel never called back as he promised. He also refused to pick subsequent calls put across to him by The Guardian.
Meanwhile, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki has been reported to have called for investigation into the circumstances behind the Dream Team’s delayed departure from Atlanta to Brazil for the Rio Olympic Games.
•Photo shows Team Nigeria athletes during the opening ceremony of the 2016 Olympics Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Source Daily Sports
Posted August 7, 2016
You may also like...
Roberto Mancini Reject Man Utd Approach
Iniesta: World Cup Win Saved Me From Depression...
Bullets Babes Win 3rd JOF U-13 Football Championship...
Umtiti Suffers Calf Knock In Second Barca Training...
Why We Hired New Goalkeeper Trainer Pionetti: Pinnick...
Fed Cup: 3SC, Enyimba, Akwa crash out

Africa’s first Wheelchair Fencing Academy opens in Lagos
Nigerian duo Yohanna, Okike make EPL list of youngsters to watch
Nigeria vs Egypt: All you need to know ahead of decisive WAFCON 2026 clash
Falcons ready to die on pitch – Ajibade
Commonwealth Games: Tinubu lauds Team Nigeria’s 24-medal feat, pledges more investment in sports
Falcons learnt from Malawi defeat, says Alozie
We will make Nigerians proud – Nnadozie
Celebrating Kanu Nwankwo: A True Nigerian Football Legend
Okowa hails Amusan, Enekwechi after Glasgow medals
Portable loses celebrity boxing rematch to Okocha after ring walkout
Commonwealth Games: Australia widens lead as Nigeria stays fifth on medal table
Commonwealth Games: Nigeria ranks ninth on all-time medals table
Rangers International going, going . . . (64,006 views)
Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (55,357 views)
Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (53,253 views)
Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (52,855 views)
Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (52,735 views)
Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (52,605 views)
Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (52,499 views)
NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (52,011 views)
Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (51,228 views)
Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (49,699 views)
Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (48,180 views)
John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (47,563 views)