Takasu, Japanese surgeon, fulfills $390,000 promise to Dream Team
Katsuya Takasu, the Japanese surgeon who fell in love with the Nigerian U23 team the ‘Dream Team’, has fulfilled his promise of donating $390,000 to the team.
Takasu gave the Nigerian Olympic football bronze winners $200,000 and $190,000 to the coaching crew after they defeated Honduras 3-2 on Saturday.
The $200,000 covers the bonuses and allowances as promised and the $190,000 is for the bronze medal,” Takasu told BBC Sport.
“I had travelled from Tokyo prepared to reward them anyway, and to watch them win the bronze inside the stadium was very fulfilling.”
He became a fan of the team after it arrived Manaus, Brazil, five hours before the game against his home country, Japan, which ended in a 5-4 victory for Samson Siasia’s side.
The Dream Team persevered through all its funding challenges, and eventually lifted bronze at the end of the male football event.
“This team showed resilience and fought the hardest to achieve success, despite all their problems — some people would have given up but they didn’t,” said Takasu.
“In everything we must always let people understand that they are appreciated and not just in football but generally in life.”
Mr Takasu I want say a big thank you for your kind gesture to our olympic football team. Hope our correct officials will be ashamed of themselves.
Shame upon our Naija “philanthropists”. This is how integrity works. Now they will be falling over themselves to get in on the act! Apart from one or two like Dangote all our home-grown “philanthropists” are a bunch of glory-seekers. Plead to not let one cent of this money touch the palms of Dalong! He should be SACKED IMMEDIATELY for the shame of this Rio fiasco he caused. We know he does not have the lover to resign!
This Takasu has a good soul.
Am in love with him and siasia boys he unconditionally loved.
But what will be the date of siasia, under the same sports managers.
I wish the Takasus in this world can secure football team for siasia to manage in Japan and europe