Former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, has addressed the long-standing controversy surrounding the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, specifically the alleged chartered flight payment by former Super Eagles captain, Mikel Obi.
In a recent interview with AIT journalist Calistus Ebare, Dalung provided a detailed account of what transpired when the Nigeria U23 football team, led by coach Samson Siasia and captained by Mikel Obi, faced travel delays from their training base in Atlanta to Rio de Janeiro.
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Mikel Obi had claimed that he personally paid for a chartered flight to transport the team to Brazil, a gesture he says has never been reimbursed by the Nigerian government. However, Coach Samson Siasia publicly refuted the claim, asserting that Mikel never paid for any flight, prompting further scrutiny.
During the interview, Ebare asked Dalung whether he, as the Minister at the time, authorized any payment or arrangement involving Mikel Obi for a chartered flight to Rio.
Dalung responded:
“The answer is: not to my knowledge. As a Minister, I never authorized anybody or any air travel service to convey Team Nigeria from anywhere to Rio.”
He explained that the Ministry had arranged a 35-seater chartered aircraft to airlift the team from Atlanta to Rio.
However, upon arrival of the aircraft in Atlanta, Mikel Obi reportedly rejected the plane, citing its small size as a concern due to the number of people in camp 42 instead of the expected 25.
“Mikel, who was the captain, said the aircraft was too small. I told him the expected number was 25. If there were more people, we could get tickets for the rest. But he still rejected it,” Dalung said.
He further revealed that while discussions were ongoing, the team reached out to then-Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, claiming they were stranded.
The Vice President subsequently contacted Dalung, who informed him that the chartered aircraft was indeed on the tarmac in Atlanta.
“Using technology, the Vice President’s team confirmed that the plane was parked at the airport,” Dalung added.
As the situation escalated, Delta Air Lines, who had previously flown the team from Nigeria to Atlanta intervened and offered to transport the players to Rio at no cost. Dalung confirmed that this was a corporate contribution by Delta to support Team Nigeria.
Upon arrival in Rio and after assessing the situation, Dalung said he officially wrote a letter of appreciation to Delta Air Lines for their support.
“In summary, there was no mandate given to any player or official of Team Nigeria in 2016 to charter an aircraft to Rio,” Dalung concluded.
This clarification sheds new light on a saga that has lingered for nearly a decade, revealing the behind-the-scenes decisions and miscommunications that defined Nigeria’s chaotic preparation for the 2016 Olympic Games.
Attempts to reach Mikel to respond to this new and unfolding development has been futile so far but we will keep you posted as soon as we are able to get the former Chelsea FC midfielder response on the matter
