Government has refuted social media reports suggesting that Zambia’s athletes at the Commonwealth games in Birmingham have not been paid their allowances.
Minister of Youth, Sports and Arts, Elvis Nkandu has described as false suggestions that Zambia’s representatives in Birmingham have not received what is due to them.
Nkandu has told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka that there have been some issues with bank details for some athletes who are yet to receive the allowances although he stated that it will soon be rectified.
“As I’m talking to you, almost everyone has been paid but there was a hiccup somewhere. About 29 athletes were paid out of the 43. The remainder, we had problems with the bank details, some of them were submitting their fathers NRCs and you know the system cannot permit that so we had to tell them to resubmit the bank details and those who are minors, we had channeled the money to their federations, that’s the procedure,” he said.
The Minister also clarified that the athletes are getting paid 80 United States dollars per day and not 50 dollars as some social media reports have suggested.
He said there is a need for Zambians to appreciate because the kind of allowances are unprecedented.
“This is the first time we have given out such an amount of money to any athlete that has gone out of the country.it is the first time we have also prepared our athletes adequately. When you prepare the athletes adequately it means you are sending them to go and compete and we did just that,” Nkandu said.
And Nkandu added that 5,000 United States Dollars has been prepared for the gold winner, $4,000 each for those who minted silver while 3,500 dollars is the reward for the bronze winner.
Boxers Steven Zimba and Patrick Chinyemba both won silver medals while athlete Muzala Samukonga minted gold.
Zambia were ranked 12th overall in the entire gaming showpiece which has since come to an end.
Zambia Swimmer Tilka Pajk took to social media accusing the Government of not paying the athletes.
First you say they have been paid then you contradict and say 29 out of 43 have been paid. Why your PS then went to go and threaten them. It means you and your PS want to steal what is due to them that’s why he went to threaten them. We are watching you!
There is a little bit of damage control going on here! If this was clear to the athletes right from the start; why was there some misunderstanding and confusion on the part of the athletes and the PS? Should the PS have just explained this to the athletes instead of him talking down to them like they are children? This sickening mentality of Zambian Govt officials of thinking that just because the President gave you a JOB then you are above everyone else should STOP. It is embarrassing quite frankly to read about the attitudes of some of these so called PSs and HONORABLEs in positions of power. Grow up!
The complaint was registered by one of the athletes a swimmer. Jason Kabanana went to lambast the athletes, if they were paid then why did he lose it? This is the chap that hired a plane that never showed up.Can you improve your performance because so far you aren’t doing well
But what about the language of the P.S tell us more.. You are saying 29 out of 43 have been paid. I think the P.S said 90% have been paid.
Something is wrong somewhere. The ones complaining about not getting paid are not minors but people with families , adults..
Do better next time. Its good you have tried but we need better.
Their f00lish ps the kabanana actor has said they have not all been paid. Then this African bab00n of a minister says otherwise. Total confusion in upnd govt hahahahaha hahahaha
Atheletes paid. After being insulted?
I’m shocked that despite being paid peanuts our athletes have to endure insults from representatives of HH’s government.
Yeah, if someone didn’t not raise the concern about the issue this misleading statment was not even going to surface!! i’m glad someone has spoken up!!! it is to everyone of you altheletes if you see something say something then will see in changes in some of this leader!! because it seems even if this leaders are paid she shyares leading to this prestigious games but they still want to get the cut from athletes money!! it is called greedy you should stop!!!!