By Victor Okoye, News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN)
Nigeria’s poor performance at the just concluded Paris Olympics Games may not be unconnected to the steady trend of migration of our sporting talents and athletes out of the country to other foreign nations.
Indeed, the impact of these athletes on Nigeria’s Sports sector cannot be overemphasised as it was glaring for all to see at the just concluded 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria’s athletes returned home without a single medal for the eight time in our Olympic history, as Team Nigeria concluded its Paris 2024 Olympic campaign on Saturday.
At least nine African countries won gold, but the “Giant of Africa” with over 200 million people came home without even a bronze.
This was inspite of over N12 billion released for this year’ s Olympics, which is almost twice the amount budgeted for the entire Ministry of Science and Technology for this year.
The Sports Minister had confirmed before the start of the Games that the Federal Government approved and released over N12 billion for Team Nigeria with N9 million budgeted for the Olympics, while the remaining N3 billion is expected to cater for the Paralympics team, who would compete in France from Aug. 28 to Sept. 8.
Some of the country’s biggest medal hopefuls failed to shine. Tobi Amusan did not make the final of the women’s 100 metres hurdles, inspite of the fact that she came into the Games as the world record holder.
Ese Brume finished fifth in the women’s long jump, while Blessing Oborududu suffered a painful defeat as she ended her contest in the women’s 68kg wrestling event out a podium finish.
Hannah Reuben lost her Women’s Freestyle 76kg fight early Saturday to effectively put the country’s slim hope of making the podium to rest.
Mongolia’s Enkh-Amaryn Davaanasan defeated her 5-2 in the round of 16 tie, capping off the country’s worst Olympic outing since London 2012.
In addition to the abysmal performance, the country also dealt with a handful of controversies at the Games.
The most prominent was the exclusion of Favour Ofili from the women’s 100 meters race despite the athlete qualifying.
Another was the revelation by Ese Ukpeseraye that she had to borrow a track bike from the German team to perform in the Keirin cycling event.
There were also issues of athletes’ agitation over the disparity of the amount paid to the foreign-based athletes and their home-based counterparts.
Nigeria-based athletes who represented the country at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games demanded same training grants as their foreign-based counterparts
NAN learnt that the foreign-based athletes were paid a sum of 5,000 dollars as their training grant for the Games, while their local counterparts got 1,000 dollars.
However, it was not all doom for Nigeria; there were also a few sparks of brilliance. D’Tigress qualified for the quarter-finals of women’s basketball at the Olympics for the first time, after defeating both world number three ranked Australia and world number five ranked Canada at the group stage.
Ofili became the first Nigerian to make the women’s 200 metres final in 28 years, while Samuel Ogazi also broke a 38-year jinx by making the men’s 400m final.
Also, Nigeria had three athletes- Brume, Ruth Usoro and Prestina Ochonogor in the women’s long jump final event.
A total of 88 athletes featured across 12 sports for Nigeria at the Paris Olympic Games from July 26 to Aug. 11.
The sports include; Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Boxing, Canoeing, Cycling, Football, Swimming, Table-tennis, Taekwondo, Weightlifting and Wrestling.
The U.S. women’s basketball team helped to seal their country’s dominance by edging hosts France to win the final gold medal of the Games.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Americans also won the most total medals with 126 to China’s 91, after winning 42 bronze medals as against China’s 24.
Japan were third with 20 gold, 12 silver and 13 bronze for a total of 45, while Australia were in fourth place with 18 gold, 19 silver and 16 bronze for a total of 53.
Hosts France was in fifth place with 16 gold, 26 silver, and 22 bronze, totalling 64.
However, only 12 African teams made it to the medals table.
Kenya led the lot after garnering four gold, two silver and five bronze for a total of 11 to finish in 17th place.
Other African countries which made the medals table include Algeria who were placed joint 39th with two gold and one bronze for a total of three.
The others are South Africa in joint 44th with a total six medals (1 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze), and Ethiopia in 47th with a total of four (1 gold, 3 silver).
Egypt and Tunisia were joint 52nd with a total of three medals each, comprising one gold, one silver and one bronze medal.
Botswana and Uganda were also on joint 55th with two medals each, made up of one gold and one silver medal.
Morocco was placed 60th with one gold and one bronze for a total two, while Côte d’Ivoire were in 84th place alongside Cape Verde and Zambia with one bronze each.
The next edition of the Games is scheduled for 2028 in Los Angeles in the U.S.
Meanwhile, it was really sad to note that several athletes of Nigerian descent who represented other countries did very well with no fewer than seven of such athletes winning medals for the countries they represented.
Some of such athletes include; Yemisi Ogunleye, a 25-year-old sensation who won a gold medal for Germany in the women’s shot put event.
Ogunleye was born in Germany to a European mother and a Nigerian father. Her gold for the country of her birth was the first for the country, since Astrid Kumbernuss in 1996.
She identifies with the country of her birth, but is proud of her Nigerian heritage.
Samuel Omorodion, a 20 year-old boy, who was part of the victorious Spanish team that won gold in the men’s football event.
Omorodion is a Spanish professional footballer of Nigerian descent who plays as a striker.
He however didn’t feature for Spain in their final match against France as he was rested in preparation for his move from Atletico Madrid to Chelsea.
Also, Michael Olise, a 22 year-old rising star in the English Premier League, was part of the French team that won silver for France at the games.
Anette Echikunwoke, a 28 year-old female athlete, won silver for U.S. in the women’s hammer throw event, while Barthélémy Chinenyeze, a 26 year-old talent, was part of the victorious French team that won gold in the men’s volleyball event.
Others were; Salwa Eid Nasara, 26 year-old female athlete who won silver for Bahrain in the women’s 400 metres event.
The Nigerian-born athlete was formerly known as Ebelechukwu Agbapuonwu. She picked up athletics early in Nigeria and performed at the 2013 School Sports in Port Harcourt and the National Youth Games in Ilorin.
However, the athlete left Nigeria for Bahrain when she was 15, converted to Islam, and changed her name.
There was also Femi “Bam” Adebayo, a 27 year-old NBA star who played a crucial part for the team that won gold for U.S. in the men’s basketball event.
Out of these seven athletes, the story of Echikunwoke was the most touching as it was reported that she was set to compete for Nigeria way back at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics before switching her allegiance to the U.S.
Echikunwoke could have been competing in green and white, but for an administrative oversight by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).
Instead, the 28-year-old became the first American woman to win an Olympic medal in the hammer throw event.
Echikunwoke, who was born in Ohio
and holds dual American-Nigerian
citizenship, was set to represent the
COuntry of her parents at Tokyo 2020.
She had broken the African record in
qualification – on what was her first trip
to Nigeria – but was ruled ineligible to
compete after arriving in the Japanese
capital.
She was not alone, as the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIlU) ruled that 10 Nigerian athletes were unable to take
part because of non-compliance
with out-of-competition drug testing requirements in the run-up to the Games.
The AFN had failed to comply with a rule which requires athletes to undergo three out-of-competition tests within a 10-month period before a major event.
Echikunwoke said she had provided her whereabouts to the AFN six times in that
timeframe, but no-one came to test her in the USA.
But, for Echikunwoke, the possibility of representing Nigeria was over.
Instead, she decided that her future was with the country of her birth.
Echikunwoke made her debut at the
World Championships in Eugene in
2022, finishing 12th in the final.
She was a surprise winner of the 2024
US Olympic trials, throwing a season’s
best of 74.86m.
She bettered that at the Paris Olympics as her mark of 75.48 metres placed her behind Canada’s Camryn Rogers.
Today, Echikunwoke stands proud, having moved on from the chapter of her
career where she could have competed under the flag of Nigeria.
Indeed, Echikunwoke’s story is just one amongst many of such Nigerian athletes who chose to migrate to other foreign countries for one reason or the other.
Some have had to endure and put up with such non-chalant attitude and negligence of the Sports Ministry, AFN, and the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC).
A case in point is that of Nigerian athlete Favour Ofili who expressed her disappointment and frustration after being omitted from the 100m Women’s event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
This unpardonable exclusion has been attributed to the negligence of both the AFN and the NOC.
Ofili had taken to Instagram to voice her frustration during the Games.
Despite her disappointment, Ofili competed in the 200m race, which she also qualified for, but ended up with a disappointing sixth place finish, which may not be unconnected to all the unnecessary distractions that affected her mental and emotional state of mind before the race.
She was seen crying bitterly in a viral video that made the rounds after the race as she admitted that she was tired and exhausted from all the frustration and negligence of the AFN and NOC.
Nigeria’s Sports Minister, John Owan Enoh, has pledged to implement severe actions following the controversy.
In a statement on his official X account, Enoh expressed strong dissatisfaction with the AFN) and the NOC for their mishandling of the registration process.
Enoh criticized the negligence, declaring it unacceptable and promising that those responsible would face sanctions after a thorough investigation.
There are several other reasons why Nigerian athletes may choose to represent other countries.
First among the list is the search for better facilities and training opportunities. Foreign countries may offer superior training facilities, coaching, and support staff, giving athletes a competitive edge.
Unfortunately, Nigeria’s sports system faces challenges like inadequate funding, poor facilities, and administrative issues, driving athletes to seek opportunities elsewhere.
There is also the issue of financial incentives as some countries offer attractive financial packages, scholarships, or sponsorships to athletes, which can be a significant draw.
Citizenship and residency requirements is also a determinant factor as athletes may have dual citizenship or residency in another country, making it easier to represent that nation.
The problem of competition and qualification standards also affects athlete’s choice as foreign countries may have less competitive qualification standards or more flexible selection criteria, increasing an athlete’s chances of making the team.
Personal and family ties is another major factor as athletes may have family connections or personal relationships in the country they choose to represent.
Also, athletes may have moved abroad for education, work, or other reasons and choose to represent their adopted country.
Last, but not lest is the Olympic eligibility rules whereby the International Olympic Committee (IOC) allows athletes to switch nationalities under certain conditions, making it possible for Nigerians to compete for other countries.
It’s indeed a complex issue with various factors contributing to their decisions. However, it is essential to acknowledge the athletes’ personal choices and decisions while also addressing the underlying issues in Nigeria’s sports system.
Improving infrastructure, funding, and support for athletes in Nigeria could help reduce the number of athletes seeking opportunities elsewhere.
It was an unpleasant moment for those nostalgic about the past. Yet, the handwriting was clear. In the intervening Games between London and Paris, Team Nigeria recorded only three medals – none of them gold.
In Rio 2016, the U23 men’s team secured bronze. At the delayed Tokyo 2020 Games, Blessing Oborodudu (wrestling) and Ese Brume (long jump) medalled. This suggests that Team Nigeria is poor.
Sports Entrepreneur and Chairman Gombe State Athletics Association Ahmed Gara-Gombe has called on President Bola Tinubu to sack the Sports Minister over the exclusion of top athlete Favour Ofili from the 100m event and the poor performance of Team Nigeria at the Paris Olympic Games, describing it as National embarrassment.
Gara-Gombe told NAN that Mr. President Bola Tinubu must impose serious sanctions on the Sports Minister, the NOC President, Habu Gumel and the AFN president, Tonobok Okowa as deterant for future abuse.
According to Gombe, “Favour Ofili not listed for the 100m event and the overall performance of Team Nigeria at the Olympics was most unfortunate and a serious embarrassment to our nation, also an embarrassment to Mr. President and to all sports stakeholders.”
He stated that he was aware of the initial reactions from the Minister of Sports and also have read the statement and reactions on his X handle, insisting that he did not expect such statements from a Minister.
“The Negligence, Inefficiency, and the Corruption that has eaten deeply into Nigerian Sports are the root cause of this.
“The sports Minister unfortunately, has promoted corruption in the sports sector, that’s why we find ourselves in this mess in AFN.
“Since the Minister took office, he has refused to listen to those who would tell him the truth and the true situations in Nigeria Sports,” he said.
Godwin Bamigboye, the National Coordinator of the Association of Football Administrators in Nigeria (AFAN), on his part, said that the sports federations were poorly funded and managed.
Bamigboye stressed that politics has been allowed to prevail over common sense and merit in appointments to federation boards, excluding the passionate.
He said preparations for major tournaments were wishy-washy, adding that most national competitions, including the National Sports Festival (NSF), had become a shadow of their past.
“The worst is the appointment of novices as sports ministers. The fault lies at the door of the Presidents since 1999.
“They use sports to reward politicians instead of appointing capable administrators. This does not need money, just wisdom.
“President Bola Tinubu can return Nigeria to its halcyon days. In the Barcelona ’92 Games, Nigeria had two finalists in the men’s and one in the women’s 100m.
“With 7.12m, Chioma Ajunwa gave Nigeria its first athletics gold at Atlanta ’96. The U23 team beat Argentina to the gold in the ’96 Games and a silver at Beijing 2008,” he said.
He advised President Tinubu to appoint a competent sports minister, saying that the incumbent, Enoh, was toying with the idea of interfering with the upcoming federation elections.
He warned the sports minister to erase the thought; adding that he will end up generating bad blood and filling the federations with political jobbers.
“The result will be more disastrous. He should allow the federations to choose by themselves.
“Nigeria should revive the NSF, and restore the national meets in athletics, table tennis, basketball, handball, volleyball, and others.
“The country should internationally sponsor athletes to universities overseas through scholarships and grants. With a virile economy, the sponsors from the private sector will return,” he said.
Meanwhile, a statement by Kehinde Ajayi, the Sports Ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, on Monday called on Nigerians to embrace peace and unity which signifies the sporting spirit of the 2024 Olympics Games.
Ajayi said that in spite of Nigeria’s medal drought at the games, the performance of the athletes sparked excitement around the 774 Local Government Area in Nigeria, with Nigerians staying up late at night to watch their team compete.
“The journey in Paris has inspired us as a Ministry to start now for the next games coming up in Los Angeles 2028, so we can rewrite history and show the world we are the giant of the black race.
“We understand winning mentality of Nigerians and how disappointed we are towards our outing , but i assure you the leadership of Sen. John Owan Enoh is ready to turn the tides around and restore our sporting glory.
“We thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his swift approval and release of funds, it shows that we have a President that listens and knows what is best for our young athletes.
“We thank the coaches, technical director, medics, officials and athletes who have inspired the next generation with their performances.
“The end of every race is the beginning of a new one, the Ministry of Sports Development calls on everyone to embrace and live in the culture of peace everyday so we can make Nigeria great again,” she said.
It is indeed a sobering moment for the so-called ‘Giant of Africa.’
Instead of mouthing rhetoric and looking for scapegoats among the sports federation bosses, it bears repeating that the Ministry must begin the preparation for the Los Angeles 2028 Games immediately.
There is no excuse for the outing in Paris. Rightly, the Minister of Sports, described it as a disaster.NANFeatures**
If published, please credit the writer and News Agency of Nigeria.
