Nigerian athletes ready to pack gold in the 2012 Olyimpics as government realeses N1.9bn for them

NIGERIA has released a sum of N1.9bn (£7.4m) to the national Olympic team as part of the first tranche of funding it is providing for the athletes.

Earlier this year, the government pledged to support the team with N3bn and this first tranche will go towards funding pre-tournament training camps. Team Nigeria will be embarking on a training tour of Germany and South Korea before arriving in Britain to acclimatise ahead of the games.

Events Nigeria  has already qualified for include athletics, wrestling, weightlifting, table tennis, taekwondo and canoeing, with some other  qualifiers, like basketball still due.  Team Nigeria will also be participating in the paralympics, which take place immediately after the main tournament which runs from July 27 to August 12.

In addition to supporting the athletes, the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC)  will also be sponsoring 30 fans to go and watch the games.  Under a promotion programme held in conjunction with sponsors, fans who buy a ticket for N100 will be entered into a raffle draw and the 30 winners will be flown to the games and accommodated at the NOC's expense.

Sani Ndanusa, the NOC president, said: "The games are approaching and we want more Nigerians to be at the venues supporting our athletes.  We want Nigerians to be by the side of our athletes."

Meanwhile, Falilat Ogunkoya, Nigeria's 400 metres record holder and the winner of an individual bronze medal and a relay silver medal at Atlanta 96, has urged the government to support other sports in addition to football.  She added that the current situation is like a parent having 10 children and offering preferential treatment to one.

"We all love football but we have to give room to other sports. Now is the time to treat those that have qualified for the Olympics right and encourage those that will qualify in June and July," she added.