I Don’t Want Medals Tainted With Drugs’ – Buhari Charges Olympic Team

I Don’t Want Medals Tainted With Drugs’ – Buhari Charges Olympic Team

President Buhari on Tuesday charged Nigeria’s Olympic team to the Rio 2016 Olympics to go and bring the country glory but warned, “I don’t want medals tainted with drugs.”

While speaking during the official handing over of Team Nigeria to the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), President Buhari said, “I am asking you to go for gold. But it is better to come back home clean without medals than return with a bagful of medals tainted with drugs.”

According to Vanguard, the president, in his no-nonsense style, warned that anybody who has no business in Brazil should stay back. “If you don’t have any role to play at the Olympics please, you better stay home and watch the Games on television. But if you are going on your own, I wish you good luck.”

President Buhari receives Olympic team

President Buhari then ordered the immediate release of funds for the Olympic team. This development drew a resounding applause from the audience. The President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee Engr. Habu Gumel then carried out an investiture on President Buhari as their Grand Patron.

In his remarks, Minister of Sports, Barr Solomon Dalung said the President’s gesture was a demonstration of his love for sports. Barr Dalung added that the N2.9 billion was meant for the All Africa Games and for the Olympic preparations.

Dalung promised that Team Nigeria will do well at the Games, although he didn’t clear the air on the controversy trailing the disbursement of the N2.9 billion. Controversy arose from the NOC being forced to approach the International Olympic Committee Solidarity Fund and Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa to seek additional funds for the games.