By Samuel Akpan in Paris
With Nigeria’s underwhelming performance at the Paris Olympics 2024, the Minister of Sports Development, Sen. John Enoh, has promised a long-term plan for local and foreign athletes to help build a team that can compete at the highest level.
Enoh noted that setting up an Olympic team that will win medals for the country takes seven to ten years.
He said that with the upcoming National Youth Games and National Sporting Festival in Ogun State in January 2025, the road map for the 2028 Olympics will commence with these games.
The Minister stated this at a media parley held at the Nigerian Embassy in Paris: “My takeaway from our performance so far at the Olympics is, from what has happened, how much does that fire us in terms of what to expect in the next four years?
“We have to go back to the basics; we have the National Youth Games and the National Sports Festival coming up soon; this is the road map for the next Olympics.
“We have also noticed some amazing athletes who failed to win a medal in this Olympics but have the potential of winning medals in the next Olympics; they will be monitored, tracked, and funded, and a training calendar set up for them to help build on the gains learned from France to propel them to glory in the next games.”
Responding to a question from a Persecondnews correspondent in Paris concerning funding and allowance disparities in the camp of Team Nigeria,
Enoh said: “The government of President Bola Tinubu was never found wanting in terms of approval and timely release of funds; all that was requested for was provided.
“We closed all the gaps, athletes were paid in advance, and we increased their training grants beyond what we budgeted.
“We listened to the complaints of our local athletes, and we made sure for the first time that there were provisions for their allowances beyond what they expected.
“As a ministry, we did what we are supposed to do. I wish it were possible that the kind of hard work we put in the last one year, the commitment that we have shown, and the leadership we have provided. I wish it would have reflected in the outcome of the Olympics.”
Persecondnews reports that despite athletes breaking personal records and setting new season bests, the Minister questioned the loyalty and patriotism of some athletes to their motherland.
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