Calls for Reform After Nigeria's Medal Drought at Paris Olympics

Posted : 14 August 2024

After Nigeria's disappointing performance at the Paris Olympics, the country's sports officials are under scrutiny, facing accusations of incompetence and a growing demand for reform. The failure to secure any medals has been described by the sports minister as a "disastrous outcome." This stark failure is even more pronounced considering that smaller African nations managed to return with multiple medals.

For Nigeria, the most populous nation on the continent, this marks the first time since the 2012 London Olympics that the country has come back empty-handed, despite the presence of top athletes such as Tobi Amusan, the 100m hurdles record holder.

In the wake of the Olympics, both former and current Nigerian Olympians voiced their frustration, blaming the country's sports federations and calling for significant changes. Sports Minister John Owan Enoh acknowledged the shortcomings on social media, expressing his regret and a commitment to assess what went wrong.

He admitted that when he assumed his role less than a year before the Games, he discovered that preparations for the Olympics were not even underway. Enoh emphasized the need for a positive transformation, stating, "As a country, we deserve more. Let's turn the disastrous outcome of the 2024 Olympics into a huge positive for Nigerian sports."

Reflecting on Nigeria's Olympic history, the country's best performance was at the 1996 Atlanta Games, where they won two golds, one silver, and three bronzes. The 2008 Beijing Olympics brought five medals, but the 2012 London Games saw Nigeria returning home with none. The recent failure in Paris has sparked calls for a complete overhaul of Nigeria's sports administration.

Chioma Ajunwa, a gold medalist in the long jump from the Atlanta Olympics, highlighted the need for new leadership, urging the replacement of outdated officials with individuals who have the necessary expertise in sports. "They should stop recycling the old administrative officers that never know what they are doing," Ajunwa remarked in an interview with Arise News channel.

Olympic sprinter Favour Ofili also criticized the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, accusing them of administrative failures that led to her exclusion from the 100 metres race in Paris, despite having qualified.

This incident is reminiscent of issues faced during the Tokyo Olympics, where Nigerian athletes missed out due to a lack of funding and inadequate pre-Games preparations. Ofili voiced her frustration on X, formerly Twitter, stating, "I have worked for four years to earn this opportunity. For what? This is not the first time you guys are doing this, so don't think this is over because it's not."

While officials from the athletics federation have not responded, a senior source indicated that Ofili was withdrawn from the 100m event to focus on the 200m race. In Paris, Ofili placed sixth in the 200 metres final, and hurdler Tobi Amusan finished third in her heat, failing to qualify for the final. Former 100 metres sprinter and Olympic team captain Hameed Adio stressed the need for improved preparation and organization, stating that sports in Nigeria must be treated as a serious business, not just a pastime. Despite the overall disappointment, there was a glimmer of hope in women's basketball, with coach Rena Wakama being recognized as the Best Female Basketball Coach at the Games for leading her team to the quarterfinals, a first for an African team.

Calls for Reform After Nigeria's Medal Drought at Paris Olympics

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