Minister Dare must address Nigerian athletes now – Aruna

Team Nigeria’s captain at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Quadri Aruna, is not satisfied with the treatment of athletes at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Aruna, Africa’s top-ranked table tennis player, shared his concerns via his Instagram handle @quadriaruna on Friday.

“You all wanted me to perform well but you removed my coach that qualified me to quarterfinals at the Rio 2016 Olympics,’’ the 32-year-old who exited the Games in the third round, said.

“I dare you all to remove me (from the National team) because I said the truth.

“Athletes are being short paid, underpaid, and nobody should complain?

“If the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, don’t come and address the athletes, these officials will spoil all the good things you (Dare) have been doing’’.

Aruna, however, is not the only one sharing these concerns from Tokyo.

Nigeria’s Queen of the track, Blessing Okagbare, expressed her displeasure at sports administrators for the negligence of duty.

This is as 10 Nigerian athletes were declared ineligible to compete at the Games’ Track and Field event on Wednesday by the World Athletics for failing to comply with the out-of-competition tests.

“I have said it before and I will say it again, if you don’t have knowledge of the sport, not passionate about athletes, then you have no business there as an administrator,” Okagbare wrote on Facebook.

“The sport system in Nigeria is so flawed and we athletes are always at the receiving end.

“They were busy fighting over power and exercising their pride over Puma contracts/kits forgetting their major responsibility (the athletes.)

“It is sad that the circle keeps repeating itself and some people will come and say I am arrogant for speaking the truth, it is my career,” Okagbare said.