The federal government's cash gift to the six athletes and two officials that won the Sydney Olympic Games men's 4x400m relay gold has thrown up rancour in the track and field circle as some of the coaches who made that feat possible are crying blue murder.

A former board member and technical director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Brown Ebewele insisted Thursday that inasmuch as he appreciated the federal government's reward for the athletes, some of the coaches who worked extra hard to enable Nigeria win the silver that eventually got upgraded to gold were left out of the recognition and honour.

"Some of us, including Yusuf Alli and Tony Osheku worked with Innocent Egbunike to ensure that the 4x400m relay team made it to the podium. In fact, I was the one who suggested that the youngest member of the team, Enefiok Udo-Obong be made to run the anchor leg, a gamble which paid off," observed the former national decathlon champion.

Ebewele however told THISDAY Thursday that he felt pained that the names of those who worked hard to achieve the feat were suggested to the Presidency for reward only for his name and that of Tony Osheku and Yusuf Alli were left out.

"This is one injustice that must be redressed so that Nigerian coaches will be happy and look forward to greater glory for the country.

He queried the process of submitting the list of coaches to the Presidency by the National Sports Commission.

"If the NSC officials were in doubt, they should have contacted the Athletics Federation of Nigeria and the Nigeria Olympic Committee. The records are there. At the Sydney Games in Australia, the job of guiding and training the athletes was not limited to Innocent Egbunike alone.

"Myself, Yusuf Alli, Tony Osheku and Solomon Abari were always putting heads together on what to do. For the final race of the 4x400m, Osheku with his experience, drew up the list while I insisted that Udo-Obong anchor the race."

Udo-Obong did not disappoint Ebewele's judgement despite collecting baton in the fourth position race past two others and was on the tail of USA's Michael Johnson till the finish line. As providence will have it, Antonio Pettigrew who ran in the American team admitted dope infraction for the medal to be withdrawn and awarded to Nigeria in 2008.

Ebewele further faulted honouring only the gold medallists.

"The cash reward should have been extended to both Glory Alozie who won the silver medal of the women's 100m hurdles. If you can recall, Alozie lost her fiancé, Hyginus Anugo, a Nigerian athletes in a car crash at the Games. She was heartbroken but steeled herself to continue the competition and came away with a silver medal. Alozie and Ruth Ogbeifo who also won a silver in the weightlifting event ought to have been recognized and rewarded too," stressed Ebewele, who is also a former sports commissioner in Edo State.

Also speaking on the largesse for the quarter-milers Thursday, Alli told THISDAY that he believes that the error will be corrected and those left out similar rewarded.

"I believe that once this matter gets to the notice of those in authority, it will be corrected and those left out rewarded accordingly. We all worked for the success of Nigeria and so ought to be rewarded accordingly. I am not losing sleep because I know I am going to get my own reward from the federal government soon," he noted with enthusiasm.

Some stakeholders in track & field also spoke on the reward to the athletes 13 years after the feat Down Under in Australia.

A former President of the AFN, Tony Urhobo, commended the government for the cash to the athlete and coaches.

"This is a fantastic development; I say a resounding 'hallelujah' to this. An Olympic medal and recognition as far as I am concerned is better than African medal.

"The federal government has shown that it is not only football that can be appreciated. track and field is one of the difficult sports because it is majorly an individual sport.

"This will also encourage the upcoming athletes to want to do the country proud at international meets.

"It is a very good motivation and I hope the athletes will make use of the money well," stressed Urhobo.

He said the athletes who won the gold were able to do so because they were very disciplined. "At least, I know Enefiok Udo-Obong very well. He was a much disciplined athletes during his track career."

The former AFN chief urged upcoming athletes to emulate these heroes on discipline to be able to achieve their dreams.

President of Nigerian Olympians Association (NOA), Henry Amike, told NAN that he was very impressed with what President Goodluck Jonathan has done for track & field. "As far as I am concerned, this is a welcome development.

"I must appreciate the fact that the presidency was involved all through the struggle. This will give encouraging words and signals to the younger ones, that even after a long time they can be appreciated.

"The NSC and the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) should be applauded for making this a reality after 13 years.

"This would not have been possible without the NSC, NOC and NOA; young athletes should understand that hard work pays, there is a reward for whatever path we choose," Amike concluded in his chat with NAN.

With Nigeria elevated to the top position, Jamaica and Bahamas were promoted to silver and bronze medals, respectively.

Sunday Bada who died on December 12, 2011 waited in vain for the IOC decision years after the American team, which had earlier been disqualified for testing positive to banned substance.

The other members of the team are: Clement Chukwu, Jude Monye, Enefiok Udo-Obong, Nduka Awazie, and Fidelis Gadzama.

Pettigrew was disqualified in August 2008, but the Executive Board delayed a decision on reallocation until it had received information stemming from investigations into the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (BALCO) sports-doping scandal.

Two years after the team returned the medals to the IOC, Pettigrew was found dead in the back seat of his locked car in Chatham County, North Carolina. An evidence of sleeping pills was found by police.

However, an autopsy report later said he had committed suicide by overdosing on a medication containing diphenhydramine.