The last may not have been heard of the $390,000 donated by Japanese medical doctor, Katsuya Takasu, to Nigeria’s Dream Team which claimed the bronze medal at the football event at the Rio Olympics.
Tribunesport was reliably informed that the proposed sharing formula adopted was greeted with mixed feelings by a top official and some members of the team. A reliable source who was at the meeting where it was decided stated that the sum of $16,000 was each proposed for the top figure and six other members of the technical crew who were officially accredited.
However, the source added that the top figure rejected the amount credited to him based on the fact that he believed he was central to the bronze medal feat and as such should get more than the others.
According to the source, captain of the team, Mikel Obi stepped in to resolve the issue as he volunteered to let go $4,000 from the amount he was to receive to now add up to $20,000 for the aggrieved man.
It was also gathered that the man’s family member and his aide, who is not an official of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), were not left out of the largesse. They are expected to receive $2,000 and $5,000 respectively. This decision, according to the source was taken singularly by the man with the full support of a family member who is also another aide to him.
Also to benefit are the Media Officer, the Team Curator and Coordinator who will receive $5,000 each.
However, six other accredited officials will each get $16,000.
Also, each of the 18 players will receive $14,000 while the four alternate players will get $7,000 each.
The source noted that the influential family member had earlier proposed the sum of $30,000 for the man who wanted more, but was turned down after a lot of deliberations. It was gathered that the influential family member had always followed the Dream Team to all the championships the team participated in.
It was further revealed that when the team got to Nigeria the said family member had a row with an official of the team over balls and 50 pairs of Nike boots given the team in Atlanta during their training tour.
Efforts to speak with the NFF officials and the man at the centre of the case on the issues were unsuccessful by press time.
Discussion about this post