Daily Champion (Lagos)
January 19, 2007
Posted to the web January 19, 2007
Lagos
Fears that sprint sensation Olusoji Fasuba will dump Nigeria and run for an Arab country, has been dismissed by Athletics Federation of Nigeria technical and performance director Sunday Bada.
There has been pressure on the African record holder from European and Arab Countries to take up their citizenship and the Fasuba has been weighing the options, but for his attachment to his fatherland.
“I had a long talk with Fasuba, he has assured me that he will not change nationality, he loves his country and will continue to represent Nigeria,” said Bada who himself came under pressure to jump ship but he resisted such offer and has not regretted sinking and swimming with Nigeria.
He however, called on Nigerians to take the welfare of country’s athletes seriously, because most of them are from poor background and would readily jump at offers to change camp.
Already Nigeria has lost high profile athletes such as Francis Obikwelu and Gloria Alozie to Portugal and Spain respectively. Obikwelu won silver for Portugal at the 2004 Olympic in Athens Greece, he hold the European record in 100m and was recently crowned the European Athlete of the Year.