Paralympics: Ex-Coach Urges FG To Reward Athletes Bounteously

As the Rio 2016
Paralympics ended yesterday in Brazil, Nigerians expecting the arrival of Team Nigeria to the Games have urged the Federal Government to welcome the athletes bounteously.
The Tidesports source reports that the team had won a total of 12 medals, including eight gold, two silver and two bronze to place 16th on the medals log.
Nigeria had at the London 2012 Games secured 13 medals, including six gold, five silver and two bronze.
A former national coach of Nigeria Weightlifting Federation (NWF), Andrew Ekanem, says the team deserves a bounteous reception because they achieved what the able-bodied athletes could not.
Ekanem told newsmen yesterday in Lagos that the country’s athletes deserved to be celebrated on their arrival from the Games and appreciated for the medals haul.
“Their performance simply creditable, these are a set of athletes living with physical disabilities but committed their time and energy to training in spite of their challenges.
“Now they have invested their time and energy to bring glory to the nation, therefore it is necessary to in return celebrate and reward them very well.
“They won the medals without any of them getting involved in any drug issue, thereby upholding the integrity of Nigeria by all standards,’’ the former coach said.
He said the reward for the Para-athletes would set a good platform to encourage more physically challenged to develop their individual skills in available sports.
“Everybody is waiting to see how the government will treat these athletes who have globally shown to the world that Nigeria has abundant talents.
“Good reward for the athletes will attract more physically challenged persons to build careers in Para-sports to contribute their quota to Nigeria’s sport development,’’ Ekanem said.
According to him, there are a large number of such persons shying away from getting into sports because of being addressed as disabled.
Team Nigeria took part in Powerlifting, Para-table tennis and Para-athletics at the Games which held from September 5 to September 18 in Brazil.