RIO2016: Shame As Nigerian Athletes Beg For Funds Online (photos)

*Her fundraising goal is 4000 US Dollars – https://www.gofundme.com/2fujh98?rcid=d78c4774502f11e6bb61bc764e065f4f

The delay by the Nigerian authorities in releasing funds to the country’s contingents, billed to participate in the 2016 Rio Olympics, holding in Brazil between August 5-21, 2016 has sadly forced Nigerian athletes to resort to soliciting for funds through crowd funding platform-GoFundMe.

Some of the Team Nigerian athletes billed to participate in track and field events at the Olympics, on Friday, took to various social media platforms and online crowd-sourced funding platforms to solicit for funds to fly them to the competition.

 

The athletes were American-born Nigerian sprinter, Regina George; Nigeria’s fastest man and 100m Champion, Seye Ogunlewe jnr, Nikki Okwelogu, Antwon Hick, Johny Akinyemi and Olympic rower Chierika Ukogu,

 

George specialises in the 400metres.

She represented Nigeria at the 2012 Summer Olympics and was the silver medalist at the African Championships in 2012.

George who tweets via @DivaOnTheTrack took her request of $4,000 to a crowd-sourced funding platform, gofundme.com.

She wrote:

“To all my family friends and fans thanks for being here for me through the good times and bad times. This year it’s been hard financially for me but it wouldn’t have been possible without your support.

“I just been told that we will have to pay our own way to the Olympics this year.

Sadly this is such short notice for me to come up with the money. “They (Sports authorities) also promised a refund but I’m still waiting for many refunds promised in the past.

I been through a lot of obstacles this year and through it all I made my SECOND Olympic team. I don’t want to stop now after I earned a spot to represent my country (Nigeria) in the Olympics.

Any donation will help my situation. This will not go unnoticed and I’m truly grateful for my supporters.”

At the time of filing this report, George had gotten about $640 from spirited donors.

And she is not alone, another athlete Nikki Okwelogu also used gofund.me to beg for funds.

I’m not the only Nigerian athlete that’s seeking for help… pic.twitter.com/onVJRFdmbT

— ❤regina george❤ (@DivaOnTheTrack) July 23, 2016

 

Please while supporting Regina George: https://t.co/X3LjwlFjYI Olympic rower Chierika Ukogu also needs your support: https://t.co/nubmh7GHBL

— Ebuka Obi-Uchendu (@Ebuka) July 22, 2016

Also, Olympic rower Chierika Ukogu begged for financial support.

Also another athlete,  Seye Ogunlewe who tweets via @seyeogunlewe said: “Just so every one knows. We all got that message saying we should get our own tickets to Rio, #helpnigerianathletes.”

Antwon Hick, a Nigerian Hurdler, also set up a GoFundMe campaign as well.

Mr. Hick’s campaign is set to raise 5000 US Dollars.

In his appeal to potential donors, he talked about the sacrifices he has had to make to reach his goals. He said:

 “I’ve battled nagging injuries, missed teams by one thousandth of a second, and have slept on many a friend’s couch to pursue my dream.”

He has used Facebook, Twitter and Instagram in his fundraising efforts.

Johny Akinyemi on the other hand is a Canoe Slalom Athlete who has competed for Team GB as a junior and now proudly compete for Nigeria. 

It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari, had last Tuesday, while hosting the Olympics contigents in Aso Villa, assured that his administration would ensure that the fund budgeted for the Rio Olympics is released without further delay.

However it is not sure if the funds have been released at press time.

I am a big time track and field fan and I have looked forward to the Olympics all year. It is disheartening to say the least that the current administration doesn’t see sports, one of the few things that unite Nigerians as priority. Even if the funds are eventually released, why wait till the last minute?  This is why we haven’t been doing well at the Olympics and other international track and field tounaments. REALLY SAD.