THE sports ministry has announced that it will take up and pay the medical bills of four injured track and field athletes.
Two of the athletes competed for Team Nigeria at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics with injuries while the other two got injured during the Games.
The four athletes include Enoch Adegoke, who stopped 40 metres into the men’s 100m final due to harmstring trouble, and Ushoritse Itshekiri who also pulled his harmstring in the semi-final of the same event.
Sprint hurdler Tobi Amusan, who placed fourth in the 100m hurdles, came with an injury as well as Chukwuebuka Enekwechi who made history as the first Nigerian to ever reach the shot put final at the Olympics.
Sports minister Sunday Dare made the pledge to take care of the four during the reception for Team Nigeria hosted by Nigeria’s Ambassador to Japan on Thursday night in
Tokyo.
”You have representted Nigeria well and made sacrifices. Nigeria will also take care of you in your time of need so that you can regain full health,” Dare told the athletes.
The athletes are expected to make their submissions with necessary medical details to fast track the processing of the financial support, according to a sports ministry press release.
Team Nigeria won two medals at the Tokyo Olympics, Blessing Oborodudu bagging silver in women’s wrestling, Nigeria’s first-ever medal in the sport, and Ese Brume claiming bronze in women’s long jump.
