Ajayi writes NSC over omission from recipients’ list
Is it right for the Elite Athlete Development and Podium Board of the National Sports Commission (NSC) to convert the grants awarded to athletes based overseas to naira before disbursing such monies to the athletes? What exchange rate has the board adopted in converting the grants from dollars to naira? These are some of the questions some Nigerian athletes are seeking for answers from NSC following what they described as “some peoples’ fraudulent conversion of the monies approved for athletes.”

One of the affected athletes, who pleaded anonymity, told The Guardian at the weekend that he was shocked when he received N6 million as his first half grant from the NSC. He accused the Elite board of shortchanging the athletes by claiming that “$5000 is equivalent to N6 million when we know that the dollar exchanges for N1,450.”

Apart from the exchange rate, the athletes also accused the NSC and the Elite Board of selective disbursement of the grants, saying that they have not been told the pattern or clear criteria adopted in picking beneficiaries of the grants.

“Some of us classified as Category A athletes are expected to get $10,000, while those in Category B are expected to get less. But while some who are not top athletes have been paid, many others have not received anything,” the elite athlete said.

The Guardian learnt that one of the athletes querying the amount of money recently paid into his account is sprinter Kayinsola Ajayi, who recently wrote the NSC to clarify the amount of money due to him as training grant.

In the letter addressed to the NSC Director General, Bukola Olopade, Ajayi wrote: “I recently received an alert on my naira account indicating that the payment was from the National Sports Commission (NSC) for a grant. I would like to kindly clarify whether this amount represents the balance of the first-half grant that was discussed during our general meeting in Tokyo, Japan.

“As I recall, you and the Vice President mentioned that my payment would be adjusted following the change of my classification from Category B to Category A. Based on that discussion, I understood that the outstanding balance would be paid accordingly. I have also noticed that some athletes have begun receiving their 2026 grants.

“However, I have not yet received my grant for this year, and I would appreciate confirmation regarding its status.”

Ajayi, who is currently Nigeria’s number one men’s sprinter and the world’s number five 100m runner, is just one among numerous athletes complaining over the “untidy manner” the training grant is being disbursed.

Reacting to the allegations yesterday, head of Elite Athlete Development and Podium Board, Yusuf Alli, said: “it is not possible for anybody to be paid N6 million in place of $5,000. That is not true. If anybody wants to know how much he is entitled to, he must first of all find out the category that he belongs to.

“Initially, we had four categories, but we now have two, Category A and Category B, and they are not paid the same amount of money.

“The monies were disbursed directly from the finance department and if anybody feels that he has been shortchanged, he should go to the people disbursing the money to find out how much he should get and why he got what he got. It is as simple as that.”