Technical director of the Para-powerlifting Federation of Nigeria, Sam Ekeoma says the government should reward the National Paralympic team with houses and scholarships.
He said on Wednesday that some of the athletes had denied themselves opportunities in education to compete for the country adding that it would be unfair if they had put up such performance in Rio and ‘’still be looking wretched’’.
‘’Our people have performed above expectation and they have made Nigerians proud, so any good thing Nigeria can do for its citizens is what should be done for them,’’ he said.
He pointed out that during the administration of late Gen Sani Abacha, the U-17 football team were given houses saying that this was the highest athletic reception in the country so far for great performance in international competition.
He said it was possible for the present administration to think of better ideas and avenues to reward excellence in sporting competitions for its citizens.
With a couple of newly set records behind them and the first place position in Africa in the just concluded Rio Paralympics, Ekeoma says that Nigeria did not do well.
According to him, focus was placed on three sporting events only: weight lifting, table tennis and athletics.
Ekeoma urged sports administrators to start early to prepare for the 2020 Paralympics games in Tokyo and to incorporate more sporting activities.
He urged the government to sponsor more sporting activities so that the country can compete with other well-performing countries across the globe.
The team won 6 gold, 5 silver and 2 bronze medals at this year’s Paralympics event in Rio, bringing them to the first place in the continent on the medals’ table.
