Two players and three officials of the Dream Team Vi have been sent packing from the Rio 2016 Olympic games in Brazil over the sport ministry’s inability to continue paying their bills.
The sports minister, Solomon Dalung said the players and official who were unofficially accredited had to leave Rio because they could not take care of them.
The affected people who flew out of Brazil on Monday night are alternate players Stanley Dimgba, goalkeeper Yusuf Mohammed and the team’s media officer, Timi Ebikagboro, curator and the team coordinator.
It was alleged that the team captain Mikel Obi parted with$4600 to settle hotel bills when the U-23 players were stopped from leaving their hotel in Brazil, the sport ministry has however refunded the captain according to reports on Monday.
Dalung said the ministry have been carrying the burden of the unofficially accredited players and officials at the Olympic, and had to send them home since they could not continue providing their needs.
He said, “We said they should send them back home if theycould not take care of them (players and officials).
“The organisers of the Games, the International Olympic Committee, are only responsible for 25 accredited players and officials including feeding, flights and accommodation.We have been carrying the rest along. In Manaus, we were forced to pay camp allowances to the extra four players making 29.”
The team are billed to play Germany in the semi final of the men’s football event at the Olympics On Wednesday.
