Top Nigerian athletes are expecting to be paid their training grants, after the National Sports Commission, NSC agreed to an Athletics Federation=s proposal for the NSC to support the athletes towards the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics Games in 2012.

AFN president, Chief Solomon Ogba said in an interview that the NSC has gladly accepted to pay the athletes training grants to aid their preparations for the big events ahead.

AOur medal potential athletes would be paid training grants very soon. We strongly recommended to the NSC to consider paying them the grants and they have agreed to do so,@ said Ogba.

He added that the grants will go a long way to help the athletes focus on their training, rather than run in different meets and in the process experience a >burn out=.

AThe AFN very much realises the importance of supporting the athletes financially. Other countries like the USA and even Kenya do give grants to their athletes so Nigeria shouldn=t be an exception.

AWe only hope that the NSC would act quickly so that our athletes can have funds to support their training,@Ogba added.