Olympic Disaster: Nigeria’s Sports Sector in Shambles, Ajunwa, Ojugbana Declare
Mary Nnah
Nigeria’s dismal performance at the just concluded Paris Olympics has continued to spark outrage and disappointment among sports enthusiasts, with many calling for a complete overhaul of the country’s sports administration.
Nigeria’s first Olympic gold medalist, Chioma Ajunwa, and a veteran sports analyst, Charles Ojugbana, have slammed the country’s sports leadership, describing it as a “disaster” and “disappointing”.
The duo made their views known while featuring as guests on the Arise TV News, where they shared their expert analysis and insights on Nigeria’s Olympic performance.
Ajunwa, who won gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, expressed her frustration, saying, “It’s disheartening that Nigeria always tells the same story of failure. We never plan, and that’s why we fail. We’re always reactive, never proactive.
“We wait until the last minute to prepare, and then we wonder why we don’t win medals. I cried like a baby when I saw our athletes struggling. It’s like we’re not serious about sports. We’re just participating for the sake of participating, not to win.”
Ajunwa said the athletes were devastated and confused as they were given meagre training grants, which demotivated them.
“How can you expect athletes to perform when they’re not motivated? I know what it takes to win an Olympic medal. I’ve been there, done that. But our athletes are not given the support they need to succeed. They lack the right training, equipment, and motivation. It’s like sending a soldier to war without a gun,” she said.
Ojugbana, known for his scathing critiques, described Nigeria’s performance as a “culture of incompetence,”adding that, sports was intentional, but that Nigeria’s approach was haphazard.
“We sent 82 athletes, but no one knew what they were doing. We had athletes competing in rowing, swimming, and cycling – sports we had no business competing in. We should focus on our areas of strength, like combat sports and athletics.
“We need to learn from other countries like Botswana, which sent just 11 athletes and won two medals. We need to invest in our athletes, provide them with the right training and equipment, and motivate them to perform. We need to have a clear plan and strategy for sports development, not just a bunch of disjointed programs.”
