Nigeria’s Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, has expressed concerns about the level of commitment and the patriotism of some Nigerian athletes.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Senator Enoh expressed the concerns on Friday following the poor outing of Team Nigeria at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Enoh, nevertheless, urged Nigerians to use the experience at the ongoing 2024 Paris Olympics to turn attention to what the sector requires.
Speaking at a news conference with Nigerian journalists in Paris, France, the Minister stressed the nation should turn what has happened at the summer Olympics in France to a huge positive.
The Minister also queried the level of sports infrastructure in Nigeria as well as funding, adding that there are numerous challenges facing the administration of the sector.
“How much this challenges us, for me, I wish I was speaking with you with records of results and outcomes that are better.
“Let us turn what has happened to huge positives for Nigerian sports, there are lots of takeaways even though we didn’t get the medals.
“The basketball team achieved what has never been achieved before, long jump, we may not have won any medal but we had three Nigerians taking part in the finals,”Enoh said.
Expressing concerns about the level of commitment and the patriotism of some of the athletes, Enoh said this was not to drag any of them, adding that there are too many variables that are responsible for doing well at the Olympics.
“Olympics are a function of too many variables, talking about the training and preparation, how much of it took place.
“The commitment of the athletes and their level of patriotism; when I say that what I want to say, I am by no means trying to drag any of the athletes.
“As young men and women, they have done well for their country. I remain proud of our athletes in spite the outcome of the Olympics. It is not easy in a world of billions of people,” Enoh said.
Team Nigeria was yet to win a medal as at the time of filing this report in spite of competing in 12 events with 88 athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.