Big Nigerian athlete meets sports minister over issues in Tokyo 2020 Olympics, makes stunning update

Big Nigerian athlete meets sports minister over issues in Tokyo 2020 Olympics, makes stunning update

Ibitoye Shittu
updated at April 12, 2023 at 7:50 PM
  • Quadri Aruna has disclosed that Sports Minister Sunday Dare has assured Nigerian athletes in Japan of proper welfare
  • The table tennis star stated that he had a meeting with the Minister so as to address the problems of the athletes
  • Ten Nigerian athletes have been disqualified from participating in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to doping

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Quadri Aruna who is Nigeria's captain to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics has stated emphatically that he has met with the Sports Minister and has promised to sort all the issues affecting the athletes.

This latest development comes hours after the table tennis star had expressed his annoyance over how his coach was dropped by officials for the Tokyo Olympics.

The 32-year-old explained that the coach helped him to reach the quarterfinal of the Rio Olympics and removing him from the Tokyo contingent was not a good one.

Quadri Aruna
Nigerian table tennis star Quadri Aruna in action. Photo: SAEED KHAN
Source: Getty Images

Aruna made all these assertion after crashing out of the 2020 Olympics where he lost to Brazilian player Gustavo Tsuboi at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium 15-13 9-11 6-11 11-7 7-11 6-11.

According to his latest information, Aruna Quadri explained that Minister Sunday Dare has assured all the Nigerian athletes that all issues will be sorted.

Quadri Aruna's reaction

''I have just had a fruitful meeting with the the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare based on my position as General Team Captain to resolve the issues surrounding the training grants of Nigerian athletes based overseas.
''The meeting initiated by the Minister has allayed our fears and was very reassuring.
''The athletes are now relaxed with the assurances and action taken by the Honourable Minister. We will do our utmost best to make our dear country proud in the Games.''

Earlier, Legit.ng had reported how a number of Nigerian athletes took to the streets of Tokyo where the 2020 Olympics Games are underway over their disqualification from the event.

No fewer than ten Nigerians have been banned from competing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games after the Athletes Integrity Unit (AIU) declared them ineligible for doping and non-anti-doping issues.

Out of the 18 athletes suspended from participating in the Games, Team Nigeria are the most affected.

The AIU explained that the respective national federations of countries are responsible for ensuring appropriate anti-doping measures are in place in their respective jurisdictions.

Under the framework of Rule 15, the minimum requirements of countries are to ensure that athletes undergo proper testing to maintain the integrity of the sport.

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Ibitoye Shittu
Editor- Local Desk
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