Nigerian Field star 'Attacks' Popular Media After Claims That Officials, Athletes clashed Over Samsung Phones
- Chioma Onyekwere has reacted to the ongoing saga regarding athletes and officials are fighting over Samsung phones
- The 27-year-old track and event athlete was among the ten Nigerian athletes disqualified after failing to meet doping requirements
- Telecomm giants Samsung gifted all countries competing at the Tokyo 2020 Games brand new S20+ 5G
PAY ATTENTION: Join Legit.ng Telegram channel! Never miss important updates!
Chioma Onyekwere has debunked claims that Nigerian athletes and officials are fighting over phones gifted to all countries participating at the Tokyo by Telecomm giants Samsung.
The discus and the shotput athlete who is among the ten Nigerian contingents disqualified posted on her social media page and claimed she has got her phone as against the report by The Punch
Source: Getty Images
Onyekwere said:
"This is not true.. we have our phones."
PAY ATTENTION: Click “See First” under the “Following” tab to see Legit.ng News on your Facebook News Feed!
Report from The Punch claims that athletes and officials clashed over the Samsung S20+ 5G phones which reportedly costs $1,000 (N550,000).
The mode of collection for the phones was stated that athletes would go the Samsung's office in Tokyo and collect it with their accreditation cards.
However, officials of Team Nigeria reportedly collected the phones in bulk until the news about the ten athletes representing the country broke.
Punch also stated that an athlete who pleaded anonymity revealed that officials refused to hand the disqualified athletes their phones as he was quoted:
“Each athlete at the Olympics is entitled to one Samsung phone each. All they need to do is go to the Samsung office, scan their accreditation cards and get their phones.
"But the Nigerian delegation, through a very senior ministry official, went to the Samsung office and took all the phones for Team Nigeria athletes. Now the athletes went to meet the official and he said, ‘You are not competing, you can’t get a phone.’
“But that’s not the rule, the rule says as long as you are an accredited Olympic athlete, you are meant to get a phone, it’s your right. But they are holding the phone, they are not giving the athletes because of their incompetence at not making the athletes compete. It’s the incompetence of the federation and the ministry, who should have done the right thing by making sure that their three out of 10 out-of-competition tests is complete.”
PAY ATTENTION: Become a member of the leading sports Facebook group 'Naija Football Fan Zone'
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had earlier reported that ten Nigerians have been banned from competing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games the Athletes Integrity Unit (AIU) have declared them ineligible for doping and non-anti-doping issues, Premium Times.
Out of the 18 athletes suspended from participating in the Games, Team Nigeria are the most affected country.
The AIU explained that the respective national federations of countries are responsible for ensuring appropriate anti-doping measures are in place in their respective jurisdictions.
Source: Legit.ng
