Inadequate sports administration to blame for Nigeria’s underperformance at the Olympics
A former Super Eagles Coach, Adegboye Onigbinde, on Tuesday, attributed Nigeria’s poor outing in the ongoing 33rd Paris Olympic Games in France to lack of good sports administration in the country.
He was fed up with discussing the ills in the Nigerian sports administration, as those concerned might mistake his genuine love for seeking position and relevance.
“You see, why Nigerian athletes are not performing well in the ongoing Olympics and other international sports competitions is not technical, but administrative.
“Is it technical that an athlete who qualified properly in her event will be ridiculed by not registering her for participation?
“Situations like this will continue if our administrators don’t separate politics from sports,” the veteran technical sports director said.
According to him, the most of the administrators have forgotten the core objective of developmental programme in sports which had earned the country some measure of success in the past.
“There is no sport I cannot speak on, including athletics, boxing and so on, because I am an all-rounder.
“The same administrative problem which has stagnated developmental progress in sports is affecting us in almost all aspects of our national life.
“There is no country that is better endowed than Nigeria as far as sports talents are concerned, but are they well developed?
“I’ve worked with the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) for over 20 years, visiting many countries and seing their developmental efforts in sports in the process.
“In those days, there used to be many junior competitions where new talents were discovered and nurtured, but these are now things of the past.
“Also, there is no developmental programme for our coaches.
“In Nigeria, if sports administrators don’t like your face, there is no way for you,” the former General-Manager of Shooting Stars stated.
Corroborating Onigbinde’s views, a Sports Consultant and Coach, Mr Femi Amusan, called on relevant authorities to ensure that those responsible for Ofili’s non-registration in 100 metres race were prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others.
Amusan added that some sports administrators were more interested in what would enter their pockets than the glory that would be recorded by Nigeria and individual athletes.
“How can you, by any form of error, fail to register somebody who had prepared for an event for four years and such an administrator is not be punished?
“As a result of her none participation in that event, Ofili may miss out on some potential sponsors who may have been interested in her as an African champion and medal hopeful.
“Honestly, AFN must apologise to her and Nigeria for the psychological and emotional trauma it might have caused her.
“Who even says Ofili could not have won the 100 metres race? Amusan queried.
The grassroots coach berated the level of preparation of the athletes, describing it as shambolic.
According to him, management of each sport federation that failed should be blamed and not the athletes and their coaches who did not give them adequate preparation.
Amusan, however, remained positive that some of Nigeria’s representatives might not return home empty handed in their events in the last few days of the games.
