BY PAUL EREWUBA
Arrangements have been concluded by the Federal Ministry of Sports to airlift Team Nigeria’s contingent to the Rio 2016 Paralympics Games, which holds from September 7 – 18.
According to the Media Officer of Paralympics Committee Nigeria, Patrick Ibeh, the team which is made up of 23 athletes and six coaches would depart the country today by 5 PM through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja aboard Emirate Airline.
Ibeh told Daily Sunsports yesterday in Lagos that the Federal Ministry of Sports had ealier sent an advanced party to Rio to make adequate arrangements and ensure that Nigerian athletes successfully compete in Rio.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Sports Barrister Solomon Dalung has charged the athletes to go for gold and be good ambassadors of the country, and avoid any act capable of tarnishing the image of the country.
Dalung warned that the Sports Ministry would not take it kindly with any athlete caught using performance enhancing drugs in order to excel.
He stressed that available records showed that Nigeria has in the past been doing well at the Paralympic Games especially the last edition held in London, 2012 where she won 6 gold, 5 silver and 2 bronze medals and Rio 2016 would not be an exception.
President of Paralympic Committee Nigeria, Monday Emoeghavwe (MON), says he is optimistic that Team Nigeria Paralympic athletes would not bring disgrace on Nigeria in Rio.
According to him, the expectations are high and the athletes are already in high spirit to do the country proud.