Quadri bemoans lack of support, extols Oshodi’s virtues

Africa’s number one Table Tennis Star, Aruna Quadri, has lamented over lack of sponsorship he is getting from the nation despite his exploit at the just concluded Rio Olympics Games in Brazil, this year.

Quadri achieved a huge feat at Rio where he became the first African player to qualify for the quarterfinal stage of the table tennis event.

The Olympian, who complained that the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) under the leadership of Habu Gummel, has not come to his aid despite calling him the ‘shining star of Rio’ after the Olympic Games. According to him, he is yet to get support from any quarter, as he begins preparation for other competitions, which is part of his build up towards the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

“I have been faced with big challenge in my career and I am fully ready to face it with more hard work. The support I got from the Ministry of Sports before, during and after the Rio Olympic Games is zero. My training grant was not paid in Rio and all the expenses I incurred in getting ready for the Olympic Games was not paid, even the expenses we spent while been camped in Lagos before the Olympic Games was not settled in Rio. So the support from Ministry is zero.

“I can say that I sponsored myself to the World Cup because I am getting no support from those in charge of sports in Nigeria and for that reason I did not bother myself a lot. I had to offset all my expenses to represent my country at the tournament without the support of my government. It is now I really need support from Nigeria in order to get better in future. Since government is not helping, I really need support from individuals and companies from my home country and if I get sponsors from Nigeria, my results will be better than my previous results.”

“I must also say that Nigeria is not worth dying for in sports because support, motivation and encouragement of athletes are not always the administrators and government priority. But whenever you remember how your fans are praying, supporting and cheering you in your home country, I can conclude that the country is worth dying for. Also when you also think of how some good administrators support athletes and take athletes welfare as their major priority, you can also say that Nigeria is worth dying for in sports and a good example of this sports administrator in Nigeria is the President of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Wahid Oshodi,” he stated.