The Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC) Honourable Gbenga Elegbeleye has said that athletes’ allowances will be paid at the end of the competition like it was done during the Gaborone 2014 Africa Youth Games in Botswana.
“I have read in the media that the National Sports Commission has failed to pay camp allowances to athletes before the commencement of the ongoing 2014 Commonwealth Games. I want to correct this insinuation and to also set the record straight on this matter.
“I have to say it as a matter of fact that we don’t pay athletes before the commencement of any international competitions in order to guide against unnecessary distractions. We will pay the allowances towards the end of the competition or at the end of the competition. So it is not true that the athletes were stranded or suffering as it was reported in the media.
“The athletes here in Glasgow are very happy and raring to go to make Nigeria proud and happy and we at the National Sports Commission have done everything humanly possible to make them comfortable and happy too. It is when they are comfortable and happy that they too can re-double their efforts and fight for glory for their fatherland.
“The athletes are aware of the fact that their allowances are intact and will get what is due to them at the end of the competition. We only need the full support of sports loving Nigerians and members of the media so that Nigeria can surpass her record of medals haul at the end of the Games
“We did the same thing in Botswana during the Gaborone 2014 African Youth Games when the athletes were paid their camp allowances at the end of the competition. We don’t want to pay now in order to guide against unnecessary distractions. We don’t want them to go out of their camp to do shopping while the competition is going on. This will work negatively on their concentration level. We don’t want them to be distracted.
“Their allowances are intact and they will surely, I say surely get their money as at when due before the end of Commonwealth Games,” he said
