“What’s going to the Sports activities Minister John Owen Enoh inform President Bola Tinubu now that Nigeria did not win a single medal on the Paris Olympics?” That was the large query by the chairman of Gombe State Athletics Affiliation, Shuiabu Gara-Gombe, on Friday, shortly after World File holder, Tobi Amusan, did not qualify for the ultimate of the 100m hurdles occasion on the Paris Olympics.
Amusan, who was Nigeria’s final hope for a medal in Paris, won’t be working within the Olympic 100m hurdles last after she completed third in her semifinal warmth and her 2.55sec run was not quick sufficient to safe one of many two quickest losers’ slot.
To make it a horrible Friday for Nigeria, the lads’s 4x400m relay staff of Ifeanyi Ojeli, Nathaniel Ezekiel, Dubem Amene and Chidi Okezie, was disqualified for working out of their lanes after elevating Nigerians hope of constructing historical past because the nation’s first staff to run within the last of the occasion since Athens 2004 Olympics.
Gara-Gombe, a former chairman of Gombe United FC, described Crew Nigeria’s outing on the Paris Olympics because the worst.
“Sure, Nigeria’s participation on this Paris 2024 is the worst Olympic competing with London 2012 within the medal end,” he stated in his message to The Guardian. “And I blame the Sports activities Minister for this worst outing as a result of he by no means deliberate nicely for the Olympics.
“When he was alleged to plan for the Paris Olympics, the minister was busy following NFA up and down searching for soccer coach and getting himself contain in technical issues and on the identical time internet hosting all kinds of jokers and mediocres within the identify of partnership and collaboration. He was busy travelling from one nation to a different doing nothing,” he stated.
Based on Gara-Gome, one other downside that led to Nigeria’s failure on the Paris Olympics was the minister’s refusal to genuinely convey collectively unity amongst members of the some sporting federations, together with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), which he stated is the focal federation of any Olympics.
“When the Minister was appointed, he had multiple yr to do one thing higher for the Olympics however he failed. He acquired all he requested for, and to me, he has failed the Presidency and all Nigerians,” Gara-Gombe acknowledged.
Former Inexperienced Eagles winger, now a Sports activities Scientist, Adegoke Adelabu, stated: “The query is whether or not we now have any progressive plan to construct on our previous successes? I’ve stated it instances with out quantity, that there’ll at all times be athletes that can signify Nigeria in worldwide competitions, however do we now have any progressive plan to carry out higher in subsequent competitions.
“We’re actually going through efficiency draught, and I feel we have to rediscover our efficiency edge.” Another stakeholders additionally expressed their anger over Nigeria’s failure to get a single medal in Paris .
“Paris 2024 has been a traditional case of the chickens coming dwelling to roost as a long time of incompetence, mismanagement, corruption, lackadaisical perspective and me, me, me tradition, have all conspired to embarrass Nigeria,” one sports activities journalist identified.
“As occurred on the 2012 London Olympics, we’re confronted at a state of affairs whereby Nigeria will go away France with no medal by any means. After I have a look at how nicely small African nations are doing on the Video games, it provides me pleasure because the likes of Cape Verde, Botswana, Uganda, and many others are chasing down the likes of South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt. As a folks, we now have to determine if we wish to flip our sporting fortunes round or not.
“Nigeria is among the few international locations on the earth the place her athletes will return from the Olympic Video games with no medals and the sports activities minister will keep in his job. I don’t see any public outcry for change, so our rulers and directors are below no strain to change issues.”
One other stakeholder requested: “How come the sports activities minister paid a number of the athletes coaching grants in the midst of the Paris Olympics? Coaching grants are supposed to put together the athletes nicely for a serious sporting occasion, assist them care for some primary wants, together with partaking good nutritionist, paying their managers and staying away from competing in all method of competitions to keep away from burn out earlier than the Olympics. Paying the athletes coaching grants in the midst of the Paris Olympics was like a farmer making use of fertilizers on his crops on the level of harvest season. The minister ought to go.”