It has been revealed
that Mikel John Obi, had to part with $4,000 of his personal money, to ensure
that the Nigeria Olympic team did not miss their flight to Salvador.
Players and
officials of the Dream Team VI, were held to ransom in Sao Paulo, over unpaid
bills incurred by additional officals.
Organizers of the
Games, insisted on a team of 25 players – 18 players and seven officials.
A source confirms
that it was the responsibility of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), to
offset the bills of the extra five officials.
“We just arrived
Salvador now from Sao Paolo. We nearly missed our flight because of unpaid
bills in the hotel. The hotel held us to ransom,” a team official told
AfricanFootball.com
“The problem is that
all the additional officials here in Brazil are the responsibility of the
Nigeria Football Federation, who said they will pay for them, but they did not
pay for them again.
“The affected
officials included the team’s media officer, the team coordinator, the kits
manager in charge of players and officials’ kits and the accompanying assistant
director technical.
“A call was put
across to the honourable minister of youths and sports, he said we should put
the bill in the (credit) card but the card didn’t work. They tried and tried
but the minister said that only 18 players and seven officials should be
captured as regards payment according to the rules of the Olympic Games.
“So, the hotel bills
of these other officials, about five of them cost the sum of over $4,000. They
held us hostage for more than one hour and we nearly missed our flight. It was
Mikel (Obi) who rescued us by paying the money.
“I can tell you
honestly speaking that this incident is not the fault of the minister because
the minister listed the people to be accommodated which were 18 players and
seven officials.”
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