Extra cash 'gift' for Nigerian team to be flown to Rio
By Oluwashina Okeleji
BBC Sport, Nigeria
Nigeria's Olympic team in Rio
A benefactor is flying to Rio to
hand $200,000 (£153,500) to the Nigerian Olympic team, in addition to his
promise to pay a $30,000 (£23,000) bonus to each player if they win gold.
Japanese plastic surgeon Katsuya
Takasu wants to reward the team after hearing about their financial
difficulties.
He will pay them $20,000 (£15,350)
for silver and $10,000 (£7,680) for bronze.
Takasu told BBC Sport the $200,000
"is a special donation" and "it is better to deliver it to the
team personally".
He added: I've made previous
donations to a Japanese hockey team and other notable causes in the past but
this right now with Nigeria is incredibly passionate for me.
"I am deeply determined to
motivate this indomitable and strong Nigerian team. I don't want to distract
them but to push them further to their target - the gold in Brazil.
"I hope to see them win gold.
They've sacrificed a lot to get to Brazil and reach the semi-finals. Humans
with such a strong spirit should be encouraged to perform beyond their own
imagination."
Japanese plastic surgeon Katsuya
Takasu (left) with his "special donation" to the Nigerian team in Rio
The Samson Siasia-led Nigeria team
will face Germany in the semi-final on Wednesday and they will be without their
top scorer with four goals - Ogenekaro Etebo - because of injury.
Before arriving in Rio, the 'Dream
Team VI' were held up in Atlanta, USA, because of a problem with the payment
for their flight.
The 1996 Olympic champions only
landed in Brazil just hours before their opening 5-4 win over Japan.
Nigeria had a troubled build-up to
their 2-0 quarter-final victory against Denmark in Salvador last weekend - the
players boycotted a training session in a dispute over pay.
"I read about the financial
problems affecting the team and I felt the need to make a big
contribution," Takasu told BBC Sport.
The Nigeria Football Federation
(NFF) are impressed by Takasu's offers but are being careful.
"I have been in direct contact
with Mr Takasu and impressed by his gesture," NFF vice-president Seyi
Akinwunmi told BBC Sport.
"But we need not get carried
away because the integrity of the country is at stake.
"First we must check about
this. Significantly, the team has an important game and we need to focus on
that."
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Olympic team
have now received their camp allowances from the government, according to the
team's media officer Timi Ebikagboro.
"The sports ministry has
cleared all camp allowances of the team in Brazil.
"Players and officials have now
been paid 22 days allowances," said Ebikagboro.
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