The not too impressive performance of our athletes in the 2024 Olympics has generated so much uproar and typical of our way, many have gone beyond the ordinary to make different suggestions. Some want have expressed their desire for those occupying different positions in Sports development sector to be crucified. Some want them sacked while some others would prefer them to be publicly stoned to death.
I want readers to get my point clearly. My intention here is not to defend any individual or any organisation but rather see where we falter and possibly proffer solutions. Yes, we did not do well especially in our strongholds like Boxing, Wrestling, Football and the much maligned Athletics.
I will, therefore, align my submissions with the view of the following experienced athletes cum administrators.
A renowned journalist, Samson Ogunsemilore concluded that “When we are ready to tell ourselves the truth, we will look into the faces of some of our A- athletes at the Paris Olympics and tell them they were not good enough for the Olympics. Aruna Quadri, Ese Brume, Odunayo Adekunroye, Blessing Okorodudu and Tobi Amusan have no business returning to the Country without any medal. But because most of us are still emotional about our terrible outing, we wouldn’t point fingers at them.”
Former 100 meters’ sprinter and Olympic Captain, Hammed Adio, said the Country needed more preparation and better organisation. “Until we consider Sports as a big business and treat it as such and not just as a pastime, and also see that those running our sports are technically sound, experienced and patriotic, the results will remain as we had in Paris 2024. We have to do away with the fire brigade approach to our preparations to the Olympics.”
Eseoghene Edafe capped it all when he said” Countries, States build facilities, train Coaches and make it conducive for athletes to work towards success. I know Nigerians are good at criticising. Yes, it is easier said than done and many can build castle in the air.
A critical look at the level of preparation would reveal that we were never ready for the competition. It takes four good years to prepare for such a competition and the whole thing starts from funding. In the real sense, the government does not wait till eleventh hour to disburse funds meant for training. Like what Gowon Akpodono wrote, the Ministry paid training grants while they were in Paris which caused distraction among the athletes. According to him, while the foreign athletes got 6000 dollars, the home based got 1500 dollars. The question is, is it supposed to be this way in a normal situation. Why release fund few days to the commencement of the tournament?. The truth is that as soon as athletes qualified for such a tournament, they become the property of the Ministry and a situation where the fund did not come as at when due, what do you expect.
To buttress this, Faliliat Ogunkoya, first athlete to win an individual track and field medal in the Olympic Games proferred that the Nigerian athletes particularly, Tobi Amusan were tensed up and restless, for God knows why. She revealed that most of the Athletes preferred to listen to their foreign Coaches.
A source, who was in Paris confided in me that the athletes particularly Tobi Amusan, Ese Brume and Favour Ofili came with their personal Coaches and refused to listen to the indigenous ones who accompanied them as attested to by Faliliat Ogunkoya. “ Most of them prefer to listen to their foreign Coaches” which did not go down well with the home based Coaches. It was confusion all the way.
The next issue to be looked into is the attitude of our foreign based athletes or players, whichever way.
I was privy to a scene when some athletes were in Asaba for an assignment. Instead of facing squarely what brought them to Asaba, they were busy with women of easy virtues, and some even became drunk in their hotels. Can they do that in the United States before an assignment. What of our Super Eagles players? Days after arriving Nigeria, they would be in hiding in hotels “ enjoying themselves” only for them to show up two days before their match. No doubt about it you cannot eat your cake and have it.
Our athletes’ attitude call for a re- think if we want to make it to the podium in international competitions. They simply find it difficult to obey simple rules. And in the case of Ofili, who has become a bone on the neck of the AFN, she has to change if she wants to make it in her career.
According to Gowon Akpodono, who spoke with an official of AFN, Ofili is fast becoming an uncontrollable athlete. They have been keeping it away from the public. At the World Athletics Championship in Oregon, US, 2022, Ofili refused to stay with other Nigerian athletes in camp where they had the likes of Amusan and Brume, instead moved to a hotel with her Coach. The same Ofili did not come to Nigeria for the AFN National trials where athletes were picked for Budapest but she was permitted to go. Ofili in Budapest refused to train with her mates resulting in her mix up in the baton exchange with Rosemary Chukwuma in the relay. Ofili refused to show up in Accra and in Cameroon, refused to compete in the semi-final of the 100m. The Minister without the notice of AFN Officials invited her for a meeting in the hotel and it was now difficult for AFN to wield the big stick.
The way out of the whole thing is for the government to change their attitude too and release fund on time for proper planning and adequate preparation. We must go back to the grassroot and develop new set of athletes with new orientation. Our Coaches must look for a way to attend refresher courses abroad to update their knowledge in modern techniques. Unfortunately, the economy is no longer favourable for the private sector like the Coca cola of those days.
Sports must be given a priority in the scheme of things as this is the only thing that brings joy to the people. If the Federal Government can spend a whopping 90 billion Naira on Hajji, Sports deserve a better treatment.
