The Nigeria Minister for Sports, Solomon Dalung has frowned at the choice of players made by head coach of the Nigeria U-23s Samson Siasia for Nigeria’s campaign at the male football event of the Rio 2016 Olympics.
Samson Siasia submitted a provisional list of 35 players for Nigeria’s campaign at Rio 2016 without most of the players who prosecuted the qualifying games for the tournament by winning the Africa U-23 championship in Senegal.
Dalung criticised the axing of local players who qualified the team for foreign base professionals who until now were not part of the team.
“We’ve a crisis on our hands now, especially with the list of those going to Rio. Those who qualified are fundamentally different from those that have been sent to go and play at the finals, making it look like those wheelbarrow pushers.
“You know the wheelbarrow is an instrument that’s not important, but can only be kept under perennial sun. When there’s a load, you go and pick it, it’s not fair at all”. He concluded.
*Rasheed Michael
