Abuja – The Federal Government on Tuesday pledged to pay special attention to the athletes who win medal at the ongoing 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

The Minister of Sports, Tammy Danagogo, made the pledge in Glasgow, through his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Patrick Omorodion.

He said that the athletes would be monitored for subsequent tournaments.

“The government is going to pay special attention to our gold, silver and bronze medalists in these Games.

“Once we finish from this Games, we are going to monitor the medalists to ensure that they are in shape ahead of other tournaments.

“We are going to design monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for them so that we keep tab on everything they do.

“If we handle them this way, I am sure that we will be in a position to use them to win medals in the forthcoming 2016 Olympics in Brazil and other Games in the future,’’ he quoted Danagogo as saying.

Omorodion added that if the athletes maintained the tempo, they would win more medals before the end of the Games.

“The expectations of Mr President and the rest of Nigerians are for us to win more medals at the Games.

“We are proud of our athletes for what they have done for the country so far, and the government is prepared to give them all the necessary support required.

“I feel happy and hopeful that we will win more medals and the performances of the athletes in the weightlifting event has rekindled our hope.

“If we keep up with this tempo, I am very optimistic that we are going to win more medals.

“I am urging our athletes to keep up the tempo so that we can continue harvesting more medals,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria is one of the 71 nations competing at the Games which is in its 20th edition.

NAN also reports that Nigeria currently placed 10th on the medals table with three gold, four bronze and three silver.

The Games which began on July 23 are expected to end on Aug. 3.

/NAN