Nigeria Not Serious About Succeeding in Sports - Ighali

 

Following Team Nigeria's disappointing performance at the recent 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Dan Ngerem, former President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), has called on the Federal Government to revamp sports administration and improve athlete management. Dr. Daniel Igali, current President of Nigeria’s Wrestling Federation and an Olympic gold medalist, echoed Ngerem’s concerns about the decline in Nigerian sports.

In an interview with a Lagos-based radio station, Dr. Igali expressed frustration with Nigeria’s lack of preparedness for sports success, stating, "We are not ready to succeed in sports; we are just talking." He expressed regret over the team’s failure to achieve expected results, citing a lack of investment and proper programming despite high hopes for medals.

Igali highlighted that prior to the Olympics, federation leaders had met with the Sports Minister and Permanent Secretary to discuss preparations and medal projections. He noted that while some officials had promised multiple medals, he had emphasized that realistic projections depend on past performances in World Championships. Given Nigeria’s limited success and only one bronze medal from wrestling, Igali questioned the optimistic forecasts of improvement over past Games.

He suggested that President Bola Tinubu should invest significantly in sports, proposing a National Conference on sports development to chart a path for future success. Igali criticized the current funding model, which he claimed only supports major competitions rather than the essential activities of federations.

Igali also condemned the lack of private sector support for Nigerian athletes and sports. He recounted his own experiences of substantial sponsorship support in Canada compared to the minimal backing Nigerian athletes receive. He argued that without proper funding and support, Nigeria cannot expect to compete effectively on the global stage.

He further criticized the government’s focus on football at the expense of other sports and lamented the disparity in treatment between footballers and athletes in other disciplines. Igali called for a more equitable approach to sports funding and support, emphasizing that serious countries allocate significant resources to sports development well in advance of major events.