3rd May, 2012
President of the Nigerian Football and other Sports Supporters’ Club, Rafiu Ladipo has expressed his confidence in the country’s chances of winning medals at the fast approaching London 2012 Olympic Games despite the not too impressive preparations.
Ladipo who spoke with P.M. Sports at the National Stadium Surulere recently, said that the athletes will be going to the Games full of determination to prove their worth in their various events.
“You don’t participate in a tournament you don’t intend to win so I don’t see those athletes coming back without medals. Some of them have been on training tours for quite some time now and will want to prove a point when the games start” he enthused.
Ladipo was not happy though that Nigeria’ll not be represented in the football event, stating that it’s the country’s most important sport.
“Football is our chief sport and it’ll be very painful watching other countries do battle on the field of play without our own country participating. It has happened like that and life has to go on.”
However, the vastly travelled Ladipo said that the fact that other sports will be at the Games means that Nigeria will be ably represented at the Olympics and the Supporters club will be there.
“Even if football will not be at the Olympics, boxing will be there, weightlifting, taekwondo, canoeing, among other sports will be there and if Nigeria goes to London with her representatives in these events, then the supporters club will be there” he said.
“We want all the sports to win laurels for Nigeria and we’re not going to stop until we deliver the medals at the end of the games,” Ladipo concluded.
The Oyo state indigene also spoke on the supporters’ club readiness to storm London for the Games.
He said: “We’ve already been accredited and we’re looking to get tickets for our members who are yet to get theirs.We’ve gotten in touch with our members in Italy, Holland, London and other parts of Europe to join us at the Games to support our darling country.”
—Damilare Okunola