EXCLUSIVE: Lagos Sports Commission Deprives Squash Athletes of N2 Million+ ‘Loyalty Award’ Money

The Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) and its Director-General, Oluwatoyin Gafaar 'Bolowotan', have been accused of unfairly denying squash athletes who formerly represented Lagos their entitlements.

AllNews gathered that the LSSC organized a ‘Loyalty Award’ event on Thursday at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, “to reward Abuja 2018 National Sports Festival (NSF) medal-winning athletes who are still representing Lagos State”.

This ceremony happened on the eve of the 2020 NSF -apparently to motivate Lagos State athletes.

But at least five squash players didn't get the monetary reward. Their offence? They have ceased to represent Lagos State.

It is noteworthy that the arrangement of the NSF permits any player to represent any state of their choice at any time.

AllNews exclusively gathered that teammates who won gold at the NSF 2018 got N750,000; individual gold N300, 000; individual silver N200,000; and individual bronze medal winner went home with N100, 000 during the ceremony organized by the LSSC on Thursday.

Squash players like AbdulRahaman Lanre (m), Adegoke Onaopemipo (m), Busayo Olatunji (f) and Yemisi Olatunji (f) stopped defending the badge of Lagos State post Abuja 2018 NSF. The Olatunjis and Onaopemipo hinge their decision to swap to Delta State on poor treatment by Lagos State. Lanre moved to Edo State citing same reason. But this did not sit well with the sports administrators in Lagos State who vented their frustration on them via the ‘Loyalty Award’.

All the squash players who left Lagos for other states are top-notch athletes. Yemisi Olatunji and Busayo Olatunji are the top two best squash-playing sportswomen in the country. Onaopemipo, 21, also is unarguably one of the best squash players in Nigeria.

At the 19th edition of the National Sports Festival in Abuja, the Lagos squash squad won seven medals and finished top of the squash event

“Fortunately, I met the DG (Bolowotan) inside the hall, and he told me categorically that they are not going to pay the money, telling me to report to any length,” Yemisi Olatunji, who is also a former Ondo State athlete told AllNews via call on Thursday evening.

Yemisi Olatunji in action

“I’m entitled to nothing less than N500, 000. It's my sweat.

“He (Bolowotan) told me, that I should do whatever I want to do, protest, and go to the Governor’s office, they would not pay the money.“

She continued: “It is what I worked for. It is not done anywhere in the world.

“I didn't sign a contract with them (Lagos State), so I can always go to any state I want to. I'm free to play for any state.

“The DG said it is only those presently representing Lagos that will get the money.

“I’m hearing the ‘Loyalty Award’ for the first time. Because if Lagos State is counting their medals, my medals will still be included. Its for the 2018 Festival.

“The reason they brought this so-called ‘Loyalty Award’ is because some athletes stopped representing Lagos due to poor treatment.

“Okay, so me that have been representing Lagos State since 2014 that you didn't give anything, what do you call that?” Olatunji asked rhetorically.

“Even Idowu Ogunyemi, a medalist at the last Festival, who is still with them (Lagos) has not gotten paid. What game are they trying to play?”

Yemisi Olatunji won both individual and team gold in the women's category of squash at the NSF 2018 in Abuja. 

In an exclusive chat with AllNews on Friday evening, Adewale Amao, one of the Lagos State squash contingent to Abuja at the last Festival, said he is in the dark as to why the LSSC did not pay them, when they honoured athletes in other sports.

Amao did not announce he quit Lagos, yet he didn't get paid.

“Someone called me few days ago to tell me they are going to pay, so I don’t know why they are not paying.

“I was told they’re angry that players left to play for another state.”

AllNews’ SMS to Bolowotan seeking his comments on the matter went unanswered.

READ ALSO: Edo 2020: Presidential Task Force Gives Formal Approval to National Sports Festival

After series of postponements, the National Sports Festival 2020 - the 20th edition - kicked off today (Friday) in Edo State. It'll end on April 14 (some reports indicate 15).