Rivers States athletes who won medals at the 16th National Sports Festival, tagged KADA 2009 Games in Kaduna earlier in the year have been cash awards.

The athletes were officially received in an awards ceremony yesterday at the Alfred Diete Spiff Sports complex Port Harcourt.

Announcing the awards, the state governor Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Hon. Magnus Abe declared that gold medallits would receive the sum of N300,000 each, while silver and bronze winners would get N200,000 and N150,000 respectively.

Also coaches/secretaries of respective sports would receive same as the medalists, while accompanying referees and sundry staff will get N100,000 each.

Meanwhile, the athletes have expressed dissatisfaction over the rewards given to them by the state government.

During the award ceremony yesterday at the Alfred Diete Spiff Sports Complex, most of the athletes expressed worry over the delay in according them official reception after the festival saying “since February, it is now that government remembered athletes who made the state proud. Besides, the N300,000 N200,000 and N150,000 given to gold, silver and bronze medaist is too small. How could we receive N500,000 for gold after the Gateway Games in Ogun State and come to receive a lower amount now, this is not encouraging at all,” one of the athletes said.

Speaking at the occasion the Commissioner for Sports in the State, Hon. Boma Iyaye, thanked the athletes for making the state proud, despite the harsh whether condition in Kaduna and against all odds and oppositions.

Hon. Iyaye, charged them to be good sports ambassadors of the state and advised youths to shun all forms of social vices.

Tonye Orabere