Nigerian coaches who were at last Thursday’s presentation and awards for Team Nigerian athletes at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, have picked quarrels with the Sports Minister Sunday Dare.
They accused the Minister and his advisers of relegating them to the background by not recognising their contributions to the success of the athletes that won medals for the country. The coaches also faulted the organisers of the presentation ceremony in Abuja, for making them stand on their feet throughout the ceremony, where the President Muhammadu Buhari shelled out N200m to be shared by the athletes and their coaches.
The gold medalists were given N4.5m each and the two athletes who got national awards of the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) were also given houses in Abuja. The coaches whose athletes won gold got N1.5m and this was another vexing issue for the athletes’ groomers.
“A coach like Kayode Yaya who has been working with Ese Brume over the years was present at the hall and he wasn’t even given a seat, talkless of giving him and the others a mention.
“All the coaches whose athletes won gold were not recognised,” said one of the coaches in attendance.
“Names of athletes were pasted on seats in the hall and not one coach was given a seat, they were asked to stand at the back.”
Commenting on the issue Nigeria Track and Field Coaches Associations, Solomon Aliu said: “It is appalling, this is not the way it is supposed to be.
“People worked to make the athlete succeed. There is a chain… the medics, psychologists, welfare officers and on top the chain is the coach.
” I don’t know why the ministry downgraded the coaches. In the past when athletes got e.g 2.5 coaches got N2m. As much as I applauded the ministry, they should try and encourage the coaches. So that they can be happy doing what they are doing.”
Speaking in the same vein, throws coach Gabriel Opuana, whose athlete also won gold, said that coaches have not been given their due recognition.
” I wasn’t at the awards but I heard what happened.
“If it were, football coaches will get equal reward or more, but other sports coaches are not treated the same.
“It is not even about the money, but it is good to recognise the coaches and the work they do. President Buhari did not even mention one coach during his speech.
“During the era of Goodluck Jonathan it was not like this. Coaches made these athletes and it is time the sports ministry wakes up and does the needful.
“However, I think that those who are advising the sports minister are the ones to blame for the shoddy treatment of the coaches.”
