Nigeria shuns Nanjing Youth Olympics over Chinese discrimination [DETAILS]

by Olorunwa Lawal

Nigerian athletes and officials to the on-going 2014 Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China have been ordered to return home after the country pulled out of the competition on Wednesday as a result of discrimination against its athletes. The decision to withdraw Team Nigeria from the Games was taken after a meeting between Sports Minister, Dr Tammy Danagogo, Nigeria Olympic Committee, NOC, President, Sani M. Ndanusa and the Director General of the National sports Commission, Gbenga Elegbeleye.

Sierra Leone were the first country to pull out following pressure from the Chinese authorities. A few hours later they were joined by Nigeria, who withdrew their team in protest at how they had been treated in China. Gbenga Elegbeleye, director general of the National Sports Commission, said: “Nigerian athletes were quarantined, isolated and barred from training alongside athletes from other countries since they arrived the competition venue over news of Ebola virus in Nigeria. Following this discrimination, we have resolved to pull out from the Games.”

The Youth Olympics is scheduled to hold from August 16 to August 18, and team Nigeria were to participate in three sports – Athletics, Wrestling and Beach Volleyball, with twelve athletes.

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

cool good eh love2 cute confused notgood numb disgusting fail