Silver medalist in the women’s 4x100m at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Franca Idoko, has begged the Nigeria Olympic Committee to give her and her teammates the silver medal they won at the Games.
The women’s 4x100m relay team, who initially won bronze at the Beijing Olympics, had their medal upgraded to silver in 2016 after Russia, who placed second were stripped of the silver.
According to Yulia Chermoshanskaya, who was part of Russia’s women’s 4x100m team failed tests for steroids stanozolol and turinabol after new technology was applied.
Aside Idoko, the other members of the relay team are Gloria Kemasuode, Halimat Ismaila, Oludamola Osayomi and Agnes Osazuwa.
In a video she posted on Facebook, Idoko said five years after their bronze medal was upgraded to silver medal, they were yet to receive it.
“As you can see, I still have my bronze medal, which now belongs to Team Brazil because they automatically became third. But I still have it because the Nigeria Olympic Committee has refused to give us our silver medal and I don’t know why,” Idoko said in the video.
“I am doing this video not because I want anything from them but my silver medal. I want them to please send it to me anyhow they want to send it because it’s been since 2016 and it’s a long time. Other countries have received their own, I don’t know why we are yet to receive our silver medal.”
She said she hoped with the Olympics taking place, the NOC would be able to collect their medals and send to them.
“I am making this video now because I know that the NOC (members) are all in Tokyo for the Olympics and it’s the best time for them to meet with the appropriate authorities, may be the International Olympic Committee, so they can collect our medals and bring them for us.
“We are begging them, please give us our silver medal, we worked for it. I worked in the snow, in the rain, in the sun for that medal, I deserve to have a hold of it, please Nigeria, we are begging please give us our silver medal,” she added.
Efforts to speak with Public Relations Officer of the NOC, Femi Adetula proved abortive as his number was switched off as at press time. Also, a text message sent to his line did not deliver.