By Kunle Mudasiru
Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh, on Tuesday, convened the Paris 2024 Ministerial Olympics /Paralympics Post Games Review meeting to unearth the remote and immediate cause of Nigeria’s unimpressive performance at the games and to chart the way forward.
Enoh described what transpired at 2024 Paris Olympics as unfortunate and a tipping point in the evolution of sports in the country.
He charged all present at the meeting to engage in unfettered exchange of ideas that will not only chart a new path forward but assist in writing the next chapter in the nation’s sports development.
He said, “I am wired up to succeed. But sitting at the Paris games, as the games ticked by, I waited for medals that never came. In my pre Olympic meetings, Federation after Federation made possible podium projections. What happened to those projections? Were they founded on objective reality, or were those projections simply made to please me?”
Furthermore, he added what was of utmost importance, that the athletes and stakeholders accept the fact that Team Nigeria performed poorly at the games and to immediately commence a rebuilding process based on unfettered analysis of what went wrong and put forward fresh ideas that would spark a positive change. He stressed that the outcome of the meeting would be determined by how purposeful and intentional the Sports Ministry and sports stakeholders were in tackling the challenges that continue to stymie the growth of sports in the country.
“Why we may not have planned for the outcome we had, the failure at the games is maybe a rude awakening, a tipping point that should spur everyone here present to commit that never again will we have to be where we are after the abysmal outing.
The Sports Minister stated that everyone present in that meeting must take responsibility at the level they function if progress would’ve to be made.
The session was a no holds barred session. Various federations gave a recap on the games, what went wrong, and recommendations for the future.
Professor Ken Anygweje of the podium performance team gave a critical analysis on athletes’ performance ,a scientific perspective of Team Nigeria’s state of preparedness for the games and recommendations.
the director sports medicine and the anti-doping committee were not left out.
Although Team Nigeria did not win medals at the Olympics,there were events that signaled hope for sports in Nigeria. Events upon which the sector can spring forth from ,both in Olympics and Paralympics.
The meeting was attended by the Permanent Secretary, and directors of the Sports Ministry, Presidents of the NOC and NPC ,the different Sporting Federations along with their Secretaries, technical directors,the Athletes Commission, Podium Performance Team ,the Anti-doping Committee,critical stakeholders.
