Thanks for the touching editorial of Friday, September 20, 2024 on the plights of our all-conquering but ‘neglected’ unsung Paralympians who ensured that the new national anthem; ‘Nigeria, We hail thee’ was sang twice in Paris with the final 40th placed spot on the medals table with seven medals (2 Gold, 2 Silver, 3 Bronze) thereby averting another medal drought recorded by the Olympics contingents.
However, while the discrimination is evident in preparing the athletes for qualifying competitions, it does not extend to the prize money as the Ministry of Sports Developments actually promised a revised reward scheme for the Paralympian medalists to $15,000 for every Gold medal, $10,000 for Silver medals and $5,000 for Bronze medal which was an upgrade of the $5,000, $3,000 and $2,000 earlier promised the Olympians which was a downgrade of the bonus award given to medalists from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics Games.
The award of $1500, $1000, $500 was at the instance of the Paralympic Committee of Nigeria (PCN) president, Sunday Odebode who in his usual magnanimity doled out the cash prices in his personal capacity to appreciate the medalists and the $100 for every other athlete that donned the nation’s colours in Paris.
Yes, we can do more.
Opeyemi Ajala, Former Presenter – Eagles Sports Hour on Eagle Cable Television
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