BY JOSEPH ODOEKWU
The hierarchy of Athletics and Other Sports Development Initiative, an NGO reputed in fighting for athletes welfare and transparency in sports have issued a 14-day ultimatum to MTN, Making of Champions, Nilayo sports marketing company, AFN and Premium Trust Bank to quickly facilitate athletes payments to winners of the Marathon races they sponsored and organized.
In a strong statement issued by the Chairman, CEO and Board of Trustees of Athletics and Other Sports Development Initiative Hon Ahmed Shuaibu Gara Gombe aveered that it is criminal for companies to collect funds from sponsors for competitions and refused to pay athletes their cash prices.
An NGO registered by law to promote accountability, transperency and good governance and to ensure the welfare of athletes, sportsmen, coaches, officials in the sports industry without limitation cannot watch while athletes are allegedly openly robbed and short changed.
The NGO is therefore, calling on the aforementioned business brands, Agencies to urgently facilitate the payment of Athletes as they have only 14 days to clarify reasons winners of these events and participating athletes, some of whom are foreign athletes from Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda etc.. have not been paid or received their cash prices for over one year and more after the competition was held.
Fortunately, eyewitness account of open confessions by affected athletes both local and foreign are already in our custody.
“Sadly, the name of Nigeria is been tagged as 419 county because they took part in the competitions and have not been paid.
Nigeria athletes who they described as Local athletes have also not been paid.
Some were paid in bits , others have not been paid fully.
Since 2021-2022 some were paid for one year, others within the period of six months and one year have not been paid.
We, at this juncture are calling on the Sponsors and organizers to within 14 days pay these athletes or face civil litigation leading to criminal prosecution, because it is criminal to collect money for an event, organize it and not pay winners and participants.
We are again calling on the Sponsoring companies to always scrutinize these organizers for transperency and accountability.”
The Statement further read thus:.
“Incidentally, MTN, a Telecommunication Company and sponsor of Making of Champions (MoC) athletics events last year (2024) in Jos, where Plateau, Gombe and other states participated and won medals yet have not been paid their winning prices.
MoC made promises to them on Transportation, logistics and Feeding etc. We were reliably informed that MTN have settled the MoC, the organisers, and a certain Deji Aliu was allegedly responsible for the act of omission.
We give MTN/MoC 14 days to clarify their positions, else, we will approach the Court on this matter”.
Secondly, Winners of the 10km Abeokuta Marathon event organized by Nilayo Marketing company under Bukola Olopade have not been paid.
Thirdly, the Abuja half Marathon 21km, sponsored by Premium Trust Bank organized by same Nilayo Marketing company under Bukola Olopade now Director General of National Sports Commission (NSC) winners both local and foreign athletes are yet to collect their winning cash prices.
Curiously, the Abuja international Marathon 41km which have Kenyans, Ethiopians etc, winners have not been paid, in fact, this one is painful because outside Nigeria, it has been condemnation all through, describing the country and its people as unreliable and 419 County.
Heritage half Marathon 21km organized by Nilayo Marketing company under Bukola Olopade between 2021-2022, athletes remain unpaid.
“We are calling on all organizers including the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) who owes and regulates the competitions to state how much this organizers paid to AFN as the federation is entitled to certain percentage of revenue from all Marathons organized in Nigeria.
“We also demand to know which bank account AFN paid the money expectedly collected from sponsors of these Marathon events.
“Sponsors who have been dolling out funds to organizers without accountability would be joined in the suit to account for their credibility.
“Athletes must receive their rewards, Cash and other prizes for their hard work.
“We can’t sit and watch athletes being robbed or short-changed, that was what brought down the credibility and trust between the corporate world and sports industry in Nigeria.
“We repeat, You have 14 days to react or face litigation in an unprecedented manner from our stable”
