Nigeria to honour its Sydney Olympics gold medallists

The Nigerian 4×400 metres men’s relay team, which was given the gold medal after the champion US team confessed to doping during the 2000 Sydney Olympics, will finally be rewarded by the government.

The silver medals won by the Nigeria’s 4x400m relay men at the 2000 Games in Sydney was upgraded to gold medal by the IOC in March after the American relay team, which initially came first at the event, confessed to doping.

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan announced Wednesday that the six-member team comprising Clement Chukwu, Jude Monye, Fidelis Gadzama, Aniefiok Udobong, Nduka Nwanze and late Sunday Bada, will be honoured with cash awards, reports Xinhua.

The President announced a cash reward of 5 million naira ($31,215) each for the athletes and seven million naira each for the two coaches, Innocent Egbunike and Solomon Abari.

The athletes and the coaches would be decorated with national honours at a later date.

Minister of Sports Bolaji Abdullahi said with the award, Nigeria moved up from position 55 to 41 on the medals table in the 2000 Olympic Games with one gold, two silver and two bronze medals.

Nigeria’s overall performance at the Olympic Games now stood at three gold, eight silver and 12 bronze to place 68 on the overall medal table.