23rd November, 2011
President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, Solomon Ogba, has told Nigerians not to expect any miracle from the Nigerian athletes at London 2012 Olympic Games.
The two-time former Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development in Delta State made the declaration while assessing the chances of Nigerian athletes at the games.
The AFN topshot said that the country will only win medals in London if it does not adopt its normal fire brigade approach and begins preparation for the games in earnest.
“The Olympic Games is not an interhouse sports. We can only win medals at the games if we are serious and begin our preparations now. Except we do the right thing we will not win any medal at the games,†said the former Sole Administrator, Delta State Sports Council.
Meanwhile, former Nigerian sprinter and 400metres specialist, Sunday Bada, has said that the key to the country’s success at the games is for the government to release training grants to athletes on time.
“I appeal to the government to release fund for the athletes on time. The fund is called training grants and should be given to the athletes before the games and not when they get to London. That is the normal practice all over the world,†said the gold medalist at the I997 World Indoor Championships.
The silver medalist at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games said that other countries have begun preparations for the games while Nigerian athletes are still waiting to receive training grants.
“Athletes from other countries have begun their training since four years ago because their governments have given them training grants for the games. They are already in camp for the games because they want to win medals,†added Bada, who had his personal best of 44.63sec at the 1993 World Championships.
— Bimbo Ajayi