From the People’s Daily Online:
Canadian Olympic wrestling champion Daniel Igali was attacked and robbed in his native Nigeria two weeks ago, Canadian press said in a report Wednesday.
Igali was confronted two weeks ago while watching television with his brother in his private residence in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, four days after arriving from Canada. Four armed men burst into the apartment, demanding valuables before striking Igali, the report cited Nigerian media as saying.
“I was stabbed at the back of my neck and beaten up with the butts of their guns,” Igali told the “Daily Sunsport” of Lagos. “They collected everything from me — phones, laptops and cash.”
“The Daily Champion”, a Lagos-based newspaper, reported the stolen property was valued at 1.5 million naira (about 122,600 U.S.dollars).
Igali, who won gold in the 69-kilogram category at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, said he was traumatized by the robbery, and isn’t sure he wants to remain in Nigeria.
“I thought I was doing a good thing, coming home and helping in community development,” said Igali, who commissioned a modern sports academy in September his home town of Enewari. “I have spent so much time and resources trying to uplift the quality of life here.
“If this is how I want to be paid then I had better stay back in Canada,” the Olympian was cited as saying.
