FCT in alleged poaching scandal

• As Delta swimmers break more records

Officials of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are alleged to have embarked on double registration of athletes they could not get their services hence ensure that such athletes are eventually disqualified from participating in the ongoing 19th National Sports Festival.

The athletes are now crying foul that the FCT officials are witch-hunting them and do not wish them to flourish in their career by registering them without their consent, as they have already entered into agreement with their choice states.

The Olympic Youth Games 100 metres champion, Rosemary Chukwuma, was not happy after discovering she had been registered by the FCT, as she had had agreement with the Rivers State Sports Commission to feature for them.Rosemary was a sorry sight yesterday as she was in tears, protesting that all her efforts during training to earn her a medal in the sprint has been dashed.

“I did not at any time consented to represent the Federal Capital Territory. When I was approached, I politely told those men that came to me that I have been engaged by another state. These same men came back threatening they would ruin me should I turn down the request to represent the FCT,” Rosemary Chukwuma lamented yesterday.

Reports have it that FCT did not pay registration fees for her athletes till Saturday, and her athletes were allowed to participate, but to pay later, as the host City.It was understood that the FCT Minister, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello, had been foot-dragging to release fund for the athletes’ camping. Instead were being lured with piece of land should they win gold medal for the FCT.

“No tangible amount was offered, instead, we were promised a piece of land for any gold medal won. Since there was no formal camping, it is difficult to compete with states such as Delta, Rivers, Lagos and many others that took sports seriously. In terms of sports administration, FCT is zero. She has no plan to develop sports from the way they approach this ongoing National Sports Festival,” a source told The Guardian.

Meanwhile, not done with the their record breaking performance on Saturday, Delta State swimmers yesterday broke more records and have carted 12 gold medals from 19 events already decided in swimming at the Festival.With the 12 gold medals in 19 final events decided so far in swimming, Team Delta is comfortably leading.