Abuja’s sports director, Musa Alim, has reacted to Sahara Sports' report concerning aggrieved athletes on the verge of switching their allegiance to other states, citing entitlements that had not been received for months.
Alim, speaking to Sahara Sports, said Abuja’s budget was only approved last week and that plans are in place to settle the backlog of payments owed to all Abuja athletes.
“We plan to settle whatever entitlements they are claiming, but it is not true that we have outstanding [payments] from KADA Games 2009, only from EKO 2012. Some of those things aren’t true,” the director said.
Alim also claimed difficulties within the government hindered the payment process, “You know how government works, some things have to be followed diplomatically or else the government might say there’s no money."
Last week some members of the Abuja badminton team narrated their frustrations with FCT Sports authorities over unpaid entitlements. These athletes say that this issue prompts them to consider competing for other states in the National Sports Festival in Calabar.
Abuja has had its share of rows with its athletes. A few months ago the capital's female football team, the FCT Queens, threatened to strike due to non-payment of two years' salary.