Tokyo Olympics: Sports Ministry Pays Falcons N65, 000 for Algeria Victories
The ministry of Youth and Sports Development has paid the match winning bonus and allowance of the Super Falcons players after their two-leg second round 2020 Tokyo Olympic qualifiers against Algeria, Bestchoicesports.com.ng can report
Nigeria’s Super Falcons who beat Algeria home and away to zoom into the final round of the 2020 Olympic qualifiers were each paid N65, 000.
It was gathered that for the home victory against Algeria at the Agege Township Stadium Tuesday, the players received N50, 000 and N15, 000 for their transport which excludes the return flight tickets paid for the six foreign-based players invited.
Best Choice Sports can report that the Olympic qualifiers (Super Falcons and U-23) are the responsibilities of the sports ministry in terms of welfare and not the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)
The money was transferred into the players’ bank accounts after the match, it was gathered.
The players also received $500 (about N181, 500) each for the away victory against Algeria in the first leg. Payments of bonuses and allowances have in recent past is the subject of controversy forcing players to sometimes protest before getting paid.
In continuation of their quest for the tickets to the Olympics, the Falcons will next engage Ivory Coast in another two-legged encounter with the first leg billed for Yamoussoukro September 30 while the return leg is scheduled for October 4 in Lagos.
Other teams involved in the two-legged encounters include Zambia against Botswana, Cameroon against DR Congo, and Ghana against Kenya respectively.
The minister of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare was at the Agege Stadium on Thursday to cheer the team to victory.