By Hillary Asemota
The Federal Government through the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development on Thursday warned that it will not accept any act of sabotage calculated at undermining Nigeria’s chances at the Tokyo Olympics.
The Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Sunday Dare, gave the warning in a statement signed by the Ministry’s Director of Media and Public and Relations Mr. Mohammed Manga, said the warning became necessary after it was brought to its notice that certain elements were involved in acts aimed at sabotaging Nigeria’s Olympics invitational trials slated for this weekend in Yaba College of Technology.
The Minister said: “This act is tantamount to undermining Nigeria’s national interest in the area of Sports.
“For the avoidance of doubt, a successful AFN congress held in Abuja to elect a new Board, led by Tony Okowa as President. This new board for the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) was inaugurated by the Minister of Youth and Sports Development on June 15.”
The election, the minister said, should expectedly bring closure to all the distractions occasioned by the leadership crisis that ended with the expiration of the old AFN board.
Dare, insists that ministry’s focus remains achieving an impressive podium performance for Nigeria at the Olympics, for which it has approved a series of qualifying events for Team Nigeria athletes to score the final points required qualify for the Olympic Games
He warned: “Anyone, under any guise, attempting to block participating countries and athletes from attending these events is consequently sabotaging Nigeria, and will be held accountable.