Dalung sends two U-23 players, officials back to Nigeria

Sports minister Solomon Dalung has sent two players and three officials of the national U-23 team back to Nigeria from the ongoing 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil.

It was learnt that the two alternate players Stanley Dimgba and goalkeeper Yusuf Mohammed alongside the team’s media officer, Timi Ebikagboro, curator and the team coordinator were sent packing from the games and flew out of Brazil to Nigeria on Monday night.

“We said they should send them back home if they could not take care of them (players and officials,” Nigeria Football Federation spokesman told The PUNCH.

Dalung had complained of the huge financial burden of taking care of the extra players and officials after the players were prevented from leaving the hotel over the unpaid bills of eight of their unaccredited players and officials.

Dalung said 84 players and four officials – unofficially accredited persons had been with the team since they left Atlanta for Brazil.

“The organisers of the Games, the International Olympic Committee, are only responsible for 25 accredited players and officials including feeding, flights and accommodation. We have been carrying the rest along. In Manaus, we were forced to pay camp allowances to the extra four players making 29,” Dalung added.