August 11, (THEWILL) – Nigeria’s Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh, has issued an apology for Team Nigeria’s poor performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Nigerian contingent failed to win any medals during the games, marking a significant downturn from previous Olympic outings.
Enoh, in his post on X, acknowledged that the team’s performance fell short of expectations and objectives. He cited several challenges, including limited preparation time and the need to balance multiple international competitions within a short period. The minister explained that when he took office in August 2023, preparations for the Olympics had not yet begun, leaving less than a year to prepare.
Despite these obstacles, Enoh stated that efforts were made to support the athletes. These included establishing onshore training locations in Nigeria and offshore camps in Germany and Spain. The minister also noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ensured adequate funding for the team’s needs, including early payment of allowances and training grants.
In response to the disappointing results, Enoh announced that a thorough review process has begun. This evaluation will examine the competition readiness of each athlete, including injury and medical histories, and assess the roles of coaches and administrative staff. The minister emphasised the need to learn from this experience and make improvements across all areas of Nigerian sports.
Looking ahead, Enoh expressed determination to turn this setback into a positive for Nigerian sports. He reminded the public that Nigeria had won medals in the previous two Olympics and stated that the country deserves better results. The minister’s statement concluded with a commitment to address the issues and enhance Nigeria’s future Olympic performances.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
