Glasgow 2014 bronze medallist Blessing Oborududu is one of the Nigerian athletes who could boycott Gold Coast 2018 ©Getty Images

Nigerian wrestlers are threatening to boycott the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast after it was reported they have not been paid their allowances for various African and international championships.

The wrestlers are currently boycotting their Games training camp in protest over the issue.

In a letter through their representatives Amas Daniel and Blessing Oborududu, the captains of the men's and women's team, athletes told the Nigerian Wrestling Federation (NWF) that they felt as though they were being treated like "second-class citizens".

As reported by The Nation, an extract of the letter read: "We wish to inform you that we are boycotting the Commonwealth camp due to non-payment of our allowances as promised.

"We dominated the African Wrestling Championships in 2017 in Morocco, won a silver medal at the World Championship in France and recently dominated the African Wrestling Championships again in Port Harcourt.

"As we speak, we are yet to be paid our allowances for the African Championships.

"It appears that we are being treated as second-class citizens in Nigeria.

"Our good performances are yet to be appreciated.

"These are the reasons why we have taken this decision."

NWF President Daniel Igali won bronze for Canada at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney ©Getty Images
NWF President Daniel Igali won bronze for Canada at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney ©Getty Images

Despite a recent meeting between athletes and officials ending in deadlock, NWF President Daniel Igali is confident the issue will be resolved.

"We are still in the process of resolving the issue," he told The Nation.

"They were not able to resolve it but they have now reached a certain level.

"I appreciate the Ministry of Youth and Sports, especially the permanent secretary, for personally coming down to meet with the athletes and to resolve grey areas.

"I am sure that by his humane gestures, most of the issues surrounding athletes' welfare will be resolved as soon as possible."

It has since been reported by Punch that Igali has said that the athletes will receive their unpaid allowances before the Commonwealth Games in April.

The NWF have been beset by financial problems in recent times, and struggled to pay accommodation costs at the Commonwealth Wrestling Championships.

A boycott of Gold Coast 2018 by Nigerian wrestlers is likely to put a large dent in Nigeria's medal chances as wrestling is one of their strongest sports.

The Games in the Australian city will run between April 4 and 15.