August 19, (THEWILL) – The Paris 2024 Olympics have ended and Nigeria’s performance was disheartening. Once again, our nation left the global stage without a single medal, a result that starkly highlights the ongoing issues in our sports administration and athlete preparation.
Nigeria’s journey in the Paris 2024 Olympics can only be described as a missed opportunity. Our athletes, competing in various sports, including track and field, boxing, and basketball, were unable to secure a medal. The hopes of millions of Nigerians were pinned on stars like Tobi Amusan, a world record holder in the 100m hurdles. Unfortunately, she did not make it past the semi-finals, emblematic of the broader struggles faced by Team Nigeria.
The government reportedly released substantial funds for Olympic preparation, but the outcome shows that money alone does not guarantee success. The disbursement, all N12 billion of it, and the lack of proper planning and training programmes quickly became evident. The approach of relying on hope and luck rather than meticulous preparation continues to fail us on the global stage.
Despite the overall poor performance, there was a glimmer of hope in the form of the Nigerian women’s basketball team, D’Tigress. Led by coach Rena Wakama, they achieved a historic run to the quarter-finals, marking the first time any African team—male or female—reached this stage in Olympic basketball. Their victory over Australia and a hard-fought battle against Canada demonstrated what can be achieved with the right leadership and determination.
Wakama’s success, however, is the exception rather than the rule. It underscores the potential within Nigerian sports, but also highlights the failure of the broader system to replicate such success across other sports. This was exactly the same for athletes bearing Nigerian names and Nigerian origins who competed for and won medals for other countries.
The root of Nigeria’s Olympic failures lies in the poor structure and administration of sports in the country. There is a persistent focus on last-minute preparations and short-term solutions rather than building a sustainable system that nurtures talent from the grassroots to the elite level. The sports federations and the Ministry of Sports have been more concerned with qualifying for tournaments rather than investing in long-term athlete development and infrastructure.
Additionally, the lack of accountability within sports administration contributes significantly to the problem. Officials often escape scrutiny for their poor decisions, like the omission of Favour Ofili’s name from the 100m for which she laboured to qualify and the case of Ese Ukpeseraye, who has to borrow a bicycle from the German team for her event, as our athletes are often left to bear the brunt of inadequate preparation. This blame-shifting culture must end if Nigeria is to become a serious contender on the world stage.
The recent reaction of Sports Minister John Enoh further supports this view. He openly acknowledged that Nigeria’s preparations for the Olympics were inadequate, attributing the failures to insufficient time to properly prepare the athletes. Enoh expressed regret that his tenure, which began not too long before the Olympics, left him with limited opportunity to make a significant impact on the preparation process. His admission underscores the need for a more strategic, long-term approach to athlete development, rather than the reactive measures that have characterised Nigeria’s sports administration and left us lagging behind other less capable African countries.
To change this narrative, Nigeria needs to adopt a new approach to sports management. First, there should be a national sports policy focused on developing young talent through grassroots programmes. This policy should be backed by consistent funding and the establishment of state-of-the-art training facilities. Investment should not be limited to preparing for major events, but should be an ongoing effort to build a pipeline of athletes capable of competing at the highest levels.
Second, transparency and accountability must be prioritised within the sports federations. The disbursement of funds and the selection process for athletes should be transparent, with regular audits to ensure that resources are being used effectively.
Finally, there is a need to encourage corporate sponsorships and partnerships in sports. Private sector involvement can provide the necessary financial support and expertise to drive Nigeria’s sports forward. This would also reduce the reliance on government funding, which has often been erratic and insufficient.
The Paris 2024 Olympics ought to be a wake-up call for Nigeria. We can no longer afford to continue with the same ineffective strategies. The achievements of D’Tigress under Coach Rena Wakama and the successes of previous Nigerian athletes who switched loyalties to win medals for other countries, show that success is possible when there is proper planning and leadership. It is time for Nigeria to build a robust sports system that can consistently produce world-class athletes and bring glory to the nation.
