THE poor performance of Team Nigeria to the London 2012 Olympics has drawn the ire of the Sports Minister/Chairman National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Bolaji Abdulahi who lashed out at the athletes.Nigeria ended the games without a medal, in what turned out to be the country's worse performance in recent Olympics.The minister poured out his mind while speaking at last Saturday's Federal government reception held in honour of the Super Falconets who placed fourth at the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup held in Japan and the Paralympians who won a total of 13 medals at the Paralympic games held recently in London.He noted that the poor outing of Team Nigeria in London should be blamed on the athletes that represented the country who he said displayed high level of indiscipline and lack of commitment.Abdulahi however, said Nigerians have been comforted by the performance of both the Paralympians and the Falconets after Team Nigeria's poor outing in London in August.Meawhile, President Goodluck Jonathan who showered cash rewards on the paralympians and the Falconets in appreciation of their good performance in London and Japan respectively said the honour was a modest recognition which was just a token in appreciation of their efforts, saying. ''It is not the value of the money, but the recognition of your achievement which is much more than reward.''At the reception held at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja, each gold medallist at the Paralympic Games got 5 million naira, silver medalists went home with 3 million naira while bronze medal winners got 2 million naira while their officials were each rewarded with 1.2 million naira each with none medallist getting 500,000 naira.In addition, the six Paralympians who won gold medals at the event were coffered with national award, Member of the Order of the Niger (MON),while each member of the Super Falconets was rewarded with 1 million naira and their offcials, 1.2 million naira each.
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