Latest News
SPORTS
As the abysmal performance of Team Nigeria at the 2024 Paris Olympics continues to raise dust, Minister of Sports Development John Enoh says the different sporting federations in the country need comprehensive reforms for efficient sports development.
The minister, who apologised to Nigerians over the poor outing in Paris, indicted the leadership of sporting federations for the lacklustre performance, emphasising the need for systems and structures at the federations to get the best athletes to represent Nigeria and get the desired medals in the next games.
“I’ve always stated that we need to reform our federations,” he said on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Wednesday.
“I am also glad that these discussions are going on now. And I need this discussion to continue. Let it not be limited to the reaction because we didn’t get a medal.
“Let it go further in terms of finding out which of those federations is holding the country to ransom when the ministry starts its move to want to reform, which of those federations wants to become an obstacle to that reform?”
He said the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) was dead when he assumed office in August 2023, and that none of the sporting federations have well-equipped training centres.
He agreed that a state of emergency should be declared for sports development.
The minister admitted his limitation and that he had no powers to change weak ones among the federation leaders because they were elected by congresses.
“The leadership of these federations are elected in congresses, and they hold office for four years. Those four years coincide with the four-year Olympic circle,” he said.
Interference?
The minister said any attempt by him to make input into the activities of the federations is perceived as interference.
“It is the federations that pick the athletes that they think are competitive enough for any game.
“The federations are very strong in their defence of what decisions they make…these federations guard what they do so jealously that any attempt by any minister to reach out in things like this is considered interference.
“My responsibility is to prosecute the games at international competitions.
“I have avoided in my leadership most of the pitfalls that have bedevilled our sporting competitions and engagement internationally for the last several years.”
Enoh described Nigeria’s pathetic fate at the Olympics as a “very sad” one because Africa’s most populous nation couldn’t clinch a single medal despite that the country registered for 12 events at the global games.
Admits Poor Preparation
The minister expressed utter disappointment, saying that he didn’t expect that Team Nigeria would come back from the Olympics without a medal.
He said the medal-less outing should be blamed on a lack of motivation as all Nigerian athletes who participated in the games were well-paid, while some of them were paid in advance before the games.
He said over N8bn was spent on the competition, adding that Nigeria funds competitions and not training for the competitions. “We spent more funds qualifying for the Olympics than actual preparation for the real games,” he said.
The minister said there would have been backlash if he had ruled out Nigeria’s participation in the games because of poor preparation.
Enoh said heads would roll if findings establish that some persons sabotaged Nigeria’s chances at the games.
Decries Limited Powers
Asked whether he has the powers to sack or discipline any erring heads of federations, he said, “I don’t have such powers.”
The sports minister said he does not have the luxury to replace or work towards the replacement of those who can’t contribute enough to the development of sports at federations.
He said many of the federation presidents are in their third or fourth Olympics and they are holding the country to ransom with their lack of their ability to bring home medals from games after games.
Real Madrid’s new signing, Kylian Mbappe, scored a goal in his debut game for the Spanish giants and won his first-ever European club title.
Earlier today, Real Madrid clashed with Italian side Atalanta at the Stadion Narodowy in Warsaw, Poland, for the 2024 UEFA Super Cup title.
Ahead of the tie, most football enthusiasts predicted that the Italian side who defeated unbeaten German Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen to win the Europa League could do the same against the Spanish giants. However, coach Carlo Ancelotti and his star-studded side proved too good for Atalanta.
The spot-light was on Kylian Mbappe who completed his free transfer to his dream club this summer from Paris Saint Germain. The 25-year-old French striker shared the spot-light with Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman, who scored a hat-trick to win the Europa League for Atalanta last season.
As expected, Mbappe shone brighter by playing a vital role in ensuring that Champions League-winning teams extend their superiority over Europa League-winning teams in the UEFA Super Cup to 29 wins, a nine-win difference.
After both sides played a goalless draw in the first half, Federico Valverde scored the match opener in the 59th-minute courtesy of Vinicius Junior’s assist. Nine minutes later, Kylian Mbappe took full advantage of Jude Bellingham’s assist to seal a 2-0 victory for Real Madrid.
That won Mbappe his first UEFA Super Cup and kick-started his reign at Real Madrid on a very high note.
Former Super Eagles captain John Mikel Obi has revealed that he and Didier Drogba are actively involved in persuading Victor Osimhen to consider a move to Chelsea from Napoli.
Victor Osimhen currently has a €130 million release clause in his contract with Napoli and it is highly anticipated that he will depart from the Italian club this summer.
Reports suggest that the 25-year-old has attracted interest from Chelsea, with a potential deal involving Romelu Lukaku moving to Napoli.
Mikel Obi has expressed his belief that Osimhen’s playing style, characterized by his goal-scoring abilities, would greatly benefit Chelsea.
He mentioned that Osimhen possesses the qualities of a prolific goal scorer like Erling Haaland, emphasizing that the Nigerian striker could bring a lot to the Chelsea team.
In addition to Mikel Obi’s efforts, Didier Drogba has also been actively engaging with Osimhen, sharing his perspective and the significance of joining Chelsea, according to the former Blues midfielder.
“We want somebody who can finish, score goals, the tap-ins. Someone like Erling Haaland. That’s something Victor Osimhen will bring to Chelsea”, Mikel Obi said according to Goal.
“I hope that Chelsea fans will finally see him come to the club. I’ll make sure I send him those text messages and calls, making sure Chelsea is his top priority!
“Didier is also speaking to him, sharing his ideas and what the club means to us. We all want to see Victor come to the club.”
Renowned prophet and founder of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has urged Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen to snub a move to Chelsea, claiming that the striker will not have the best of time should he join the London club.
The cleric made this statement in a 44-second video on social media.
“I want to quickly advise as directly that Osimhen should not go to Chelsea because if he goes there, he will not shine and it will kill his career,” Ayodele said.
“NFF, if Osimhen should go to Chelsea, don’t call him again, and also calling him to the Super Eagles still needs to be previewed properly because we have what it takes to the World Cup and Nations Cup.”
It is not the first time that the primate has prophesied about the London club. In 2023, he equally claimed that the English Premier League club were cursed and needed cleansing.
“Chelsea are a finished club. If they are not careful, they will not function again. The people who bought Chelsea should go back to the owner and get his blessings,” he said.
“Otherwise, if they put 10, 20 strikers, defenders, and the best goalkeeper in the world, there is a curse troubling Chelsea at the moment. I have told you to take these words very seriously if you want to progress; otherwise, Chelsea can go to relegation.
“Any team that now faces Chelsea can beat them; they need spiritual cleansing for them to wake up to the challenge that is ahead of them.”
The Blues need a striker capable of guaranteeing them goals and are eager to sign the Nigeria international after a deal for Atletico Madrid’s Samuel Omorodion collapsed.
Osimhen, 25, is said to be ranking prominently on their wish list to lead their line during the 2024/25 season.
The Lagos-born has emerged as one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe, having been linked with moves to Chelsea, Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, and Liverpool, among others, following impressive seasons with Napoli.
However, his hefty €130m remains the stumbling block, with PSG, among other suitors backing off, leaving Chelsea as the only European club still keen on signing him.
With just a few weeks left before the transfer window shuts down, Napoli is working tirelessly to get the Nigerian striker off their hook, and with Chelsea still interested in him, Osimhen seems to be edging to Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea are looking to ramp up interest in Napoli striker Victor Osimhen after the Nigeria international handed in a transfer request over the weekend.
The Nigerian international has long been linked with a move away from the club, having joined them from Lille in the summer of 2020.
Chelsea have held a long-standing interest in Osimhen and have previously held talks with the Italian side over a potential swap deal involving Romelu Lukaku.
New Napoli manager Antonio Conte is keen to reunite with Lukaku after the pair won Serie A together at Inter Milan in 2021, with the Belgian striker having struggled since returning to Stamford Bridge later that year.
Paris Saint-Germain were previously thought to have been leading the race for Osimhen but their talks are believed to have stalled over a fee.
It remains to be seen whether or not Chelsea do eventually make a move, with the Blues having previously been unwilling to pay his release clause, believed to be worth over £100m.
Still, Osimhen is determined to leave Naples this summer and sporting director Giovanni Manna confirmed over the weekend: “Victor Osimhen has asked to leave the club. He wants to go.
“The situation is clear, there were already chances for his exit last summer. Victor wants to leave. We will see in the next 20 days.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea manager, Enzo Maresca, is looking to trim down his bloated squad as the new season approaches.
Maresca is preparing for his first season at Stamford Bridge, after replacing Mauricio Pochettino this summer.
Having inherited a large squad, Maresca now wants to cut it down to a manageable size.
It is believed Chelsea are hoping to have a first-team squad of around 23 or 24 outfield players.
The Blues have welcomed six new faces to Stamford Bridge under Enzo Maresca’s leadership, as the club continues its rapid evolution under BlueCo’s ownership. The new signings are getting acquainted during a pre-season tour of the United States, with a significant number of players left behind in London.
There are several players that Chelsea hopes to offload, some of whom were also on the selling block last summer. Malang Sarr has already had his contract terminated to facilitate his move to RC Lens.
Sarr, who arrived on a free transfer, was part of Thomas Tuchel’s Club World Cup-winning squad. Unable to secure a move last year, the Frenchman trained separately from the first team throughout the season. Both parties were keen to avoid a repeat of the 2023/24 situation, and Sarr agreed to forgo any compensation.
Sarr wasn’t the only player Chelsea struggled to sell last summer. Romelu Lukaku remained separate from the squad as he sought a move, but only managed to secure a loan to Roma.
The Belgian striker is once again hoping for a transfer, with Napoli potential suitors. This could lead to a reunion with former Chelsea and Inter Milan manager Antonio Conte.
Kepa Arrizabalaga, who was loaned to Real Madrid on the eve of last season, is likely to leave Chelsea in the coming weeks as his contract in west London winds down.
Chelsea have also made their intentions clear regarding Trevoh Chalobah. The defender, who was notably absent from Maresca’s squad that travelled to the US, is expected to be sold for a tidy profit.
Conor Gallagher, whose current deal expires in less than a year, was up for sale last summer and remains available. Despite being admired by Mauricio Pochettino, the England international is yet to join Chelsea’s squad following his Euro 2024 exploits but has attracted interest from Atletico Madrid.
[Leadership]
The stage is set for Wednesday night, as winners of the UEFA Champions League, Real Madrid, will meet UEFA Europa League winners, Atalanta, in Warsaw in the latest edition of the UEFA Super Cup final.
Both teams will aim to see who comes out on top as the King of Europe.
Real Madrid won the UEFA Champions League trophy last season after beating Borussia Dortmund in the final, thanks to goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior.
Atalanta, on the other hand, won the UEFA Europa League trophy after beating Bayer Leverkusen in the final, thanks to Ademola Lookman’s hat-trick.
Ahead of Wednesday’s showdown, both teams look quite different compared to last season.
Real Madrid have already lost two key players, Toni Kroos and Nacho Fernandez this summer. Kroos retired from football following the conclusion of Euro 2024 in Germany, while Nacho left Santiago Bernabeu for Saudi Pro League.
Real Madrid’s experienced defender, David Alaba is expected to miss the game as he is currently recovering from a lengthy ACL injury.
However, Carlo Ancelotti’s side have strengthened their squad with new arrivals like Kylian Mbappe and Endrick as they will hope to lead the LaLiga champions for an unprecedented sixth UEFA Super Cup honour on Wednesday in Poland.
Real Madrid head to the game after losing two out of their last three matches against AC Milan, Barcelona and Chelsea.
For Atalanta, Wednesday’s UEFA Super Cup final will be their first in the history of the club.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s men finished fourth-place in the Serie A last season.
They currently have an injury blow in their attack line as striker, Gianluca Scamacca tore his ACL during a preseason friendly.
Scamacca will miss at least six months with the injury now putting more pressure on Lookman leading the attack for the Serie A side.
Atalanta have made some marquee attacking signings like Charles De Ketelaere, Mateo Retegui, Ben Godfrey, Nicolo Zaniolo and Ibrahim Sulemana.
However, they head to the game after losing three out of their last four matches against AZ Alkmaar, Fiorentina, Parma and FC St. Pauli.
Speaking with DAILY POST on Monday, Stanley Smart, a Sports Analyst, gave his view on the UEFA Super Cup final.
He also singled out four players to shine during the encounter.
“Well, I expect a tough and a close match in Warsaw because it is a final,” Smart told DAILY POST.
“Both teams did not really impress in their pre-season matches but I think if you compare the performances of the two teams during pre-season, you would agree with me that Madrid were quite better in terms of their display.
“Having said that, I expect to see an attacking football with high intensity from both teams.
“Both teams have sharp forwards with pace. I expect the likes of Ademola Lookman, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius and Rodrygo to shine. It would be a proper final match,” he added.
When asked to give his prediction, Smart simply said, “2-1” in favour of Madrid.
DAILY POST reports that the kick-off time for the UEFA Super Cup final is 8 pm.
[DailyPost]
![Haaland, Palmer, Foden nominated for PFA Players’ Player of the Year award [Full List]](/media/k2/items/cache/3000dd2a8501fd0a46f93b089aa88981_S.jpg?t=20240813_105531)
The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) has unveiled its nominees for the Players’ Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year, with Manchester City’s trio of Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, and Rodri on the list.
Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, who joined the club from Manchester City at the start of last season, makes the list.
The Young Player of the Year nominees were also released, with Palmer also making the list once again, alongside Bukayo Saka and United’s Kobbie Mainoo.
The Women’s PFA Player’s Player of the Year was dominated by Chelsea and Manchester City players, with both clubs having three nominees each.
SEE FULL LIST
Men’s PFA Players’ Player of the Year nominees
Phil Foden (Manchester City), Erling Haaland (Manchester City), Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Rodri (Manchester City), and Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).
Men’s PFA Young Players’ Player of the Year nominees
Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Michael Olise (Crystal Palace), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), and João Pedro (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Women’s PFA Players’ Player of the Year nominees
Niamh Charles (Chelsea), Erin Cuthbert (Chelsea), Yui Hasegawa (Manchester City), Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Lauren James (Chelsea), and Khadija Shaw (Manchester City).
Women’s PFA Young Players’ Player of the Year nominees
Aggie Beever-Jones (Chelsea), Grace Clinton (Tottenham Hotspur), Lauren James (Chelsea), Khiara Keating (Manchester City), Maya Le Tissier (Manchester United), and Jess Park (Manchester City).
[Vanguard]
Chelsea FC currently holds the largest squad in the English Premier League, boasting a total of 55 players.
Chelsea signed Wolves forward Neto for £54m on Sunday, taking them to 11 summer signings with an average age of under 21.
Since June 14, the club has spent £185 million, bringing their squad to over 50 senior players. While the London club is actively trying to offload some players, the approaching transfer window deadline leaves the team’s future composition uncertain.
Here’s a full list of all 55 players in Chelsea’s squad:
Goalkeepers (8)
Filip Jorgensen, 22, signed for £21m; Robert Sanchez, 26, £25m; Djordje Petrovic, 24, £14m (available on loan); Kepa Arrizabalaga, 29, £72m* (for sale); Marcus Bettinelli, 32, free*; Mike Penders, 19, £17m (on loan) not yet confirmed; Gabriel Slonina, 20, £9m (available on loan); Lucas Bergstrom, 21, undisclosed* (for sale/loan).
Full-backs (7)
Reece James, right, 24, academy; Marc Cucurella, left, 26, £62m; Ben Chilwell, left, 27, £45m*; Renato Veiga, left, 12, £12m; Malo Gusto, 21, right, £30m; Josh Acheampong, right, 18, academy; Caleb Wiley, left, 19, £9m (on loan).
Centre-backs (9)
Axel Disasi, 26, £39m; Wesley Fofana, 23, £75m; Levi Colwill, 21, academy; Tosin Adarabioyo, 26, free; Benoit Badiashile, 23, £33m; Trevoh Chalobah, 25, academy (for sale); Aaron Anselmino, 19, £16 (on loan); Alfie Gilchrist, 20, academy (on loan); Bashir Humphreys, 21, academy (for sale/loan).
Midfielders (15)
Enzo Fernandez, 23, £107m; Moises Caicedo, 22, £115m; Christopher Nkunku, 26, £52m; Omari Kellyman, 19, £19m; Cesare Casadei, 21, £17m; Lesley Ugochukwu, 20, £23m; Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, 25, £30m; Romeo Lavia, 20, £53m; Carney Chukwuemeka, 20, £20m; Tino Anjorin, 22, academy (available for sale/loan); Andrey Santos, 20, £18m (on loan); Kendry Paez, 17, £17m (on loan); Alex Matos, 19, free; Jimi Tauriainen, 20, undisclosed* (available on loan); Leo Castledine, 18, academy (available on loan).
Wingers (9)
Mykhailo Mudryk, left, 23, £89m; Raheem Sterling, left, 29, £48m; Pedro Neto, left, 24, £54m; Cole Palmer, right, 22, £43m; Noni Madueke, right, 22, £29m; Estaevo Willian, right, 17, £51m (on loan); Angelo Gabriel, right, 19, £13m (available on loan); Harvey Vale, 20, academy (for sale/loan); Diego Moreira, 20, free.
Strikers (7)
Romelu Lukaku, 31, £100m*; Nicolas Jackson, 23, £32m; David Datro Fofana, 21, £11m (for sale); Deivid Washington, 19, £17m; Marc Guiu, 18, £5m; Mason Burstow, 21, £1.5m* (for sale/loan); Armando Broja, 22, academy (for sale).
Total, including loanees: 55
[TheNation]
Napoli’s director, Giovanni Manna, has confirmed that Super Eagles of Nigeria striker, Victor Osimhen has expressed his desire to leave the Italian club, which could be a major boost for Chelsea and his other suitors.
Despite already securing a deal to sign Atletico Madrid’s Samuel Omorodion, Chelsea are still in need of a prolific goal scorer and has maintained their interest in Osimhen. The 25-year-old Nigerian striker is reportedly a top priority for Chelsea as they look to strengthen their forward line for the upcoming 2024-2025 season.
Osimhen’s impressive performances have garnered attention from several top clubs in Europe, including Chelsea, Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, and Liverpool. However, his €130 million release clause has deterred many suitors, leaving Chelsea as the primary European club interested in signing him.
Note that Osimhen has been absent from Napoli’s pre-season fixtures and was also missing from their Coppa Italia first-round match against Modena.
Last weekend, Napoli’s director confirmed Osimhen’s desire to leave the club, stating that the striker wants to depart and that the club is prepared for his potential exit.
“Victor Osimhen has asked to leave the club,” the club’s director told reporters in Italy.
“He wants to go. The situation is clear; there were already chances for his exit last summer. Victor wants to leave. We will see in the next 20 days.
“Victor is a player who wants to leave, and last year there was already a situation in place. We are calm because we have players in the squad ready to replace him.
“Osimhen is a strong player, but we want to protect the integrity of the group, and we prefer to protect the harmony of the group. But we will see what happens over the next 20 days.”
This development could lead to negotiations between Napoli and Chelsea, especially considering Napoli’s interest in signing Romelu Lukaku from Stamford Bridge.
Although Osimhen’s agent has initially rejected the idea of a swap or loan deal, the player’s eagerness to move away from Napoli may force a reconsideration.
Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh, has stressed that the ministry has started reviewing Nigeria’s poor performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Recall that Nigeria sent 88 athletes to compete in 12 sports at the 2024 Olympics, and all of them failed to win a medal for the country. This marks one of the country’s worst showings in Olympic history.
Enoh acknowledged the disappointment and emphasized the need for reflection as the country prepares for the upcoming Paralympics, scheduled to commence on August 28 in Paris.
The minister expressed regret over the subpar performance of Team Nigeria and extended his apologies to Nigerians.
He highlighted the provision of necessary funding, early payment of allowances, and timely disbursement of training grants, indicating that financial constraints were not a factor in Nigeria’s Olympic campaign.
However, he admitted that the outcomes did not meet the nation’s expectations and emphasized the need to provide a comprehensive explanation to the public.
The Sports Minister’s statement reads: “The Olympic Games, Paris 2024, has ended, and I accept that our performance should have been a lot better. It fell short of our objectives, expectations, and hopes of Nigerians. I must apologize to our compatriots and reflect on what went wrong while looking forward to the Paralympic Games, Paris 2024 (August 28- September 8).
“In all these, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federation, HE Bola Ahmed Tinubu, ensured that funds were not a limiting factor. Athletes’ competition requirements were provided, allowances were paid early, and training grants were disbursed to all athletes. I made myself readily available to deal with any issue throughout the competition. Therefore, the underwhelming performance of our team is puzzling. We owe Nigerians an explanation.
“As a responsible organization, we have swung into a review process. We shall evaluate the competition readiness of every athlete comprehensively, including their injury and medical history within the limits of patient confidentiality. The role of coaches and administrative staff will also be examined.”
Enoh also discussed the challenges faced by the Ministry of Sports Development in preparing for the Olympics within a limited timeframe. He revealed that when he assumed office in August 2023, the ministry had to oversee four major international competitions, including the AFCON, the African Games, and the Olympics and Paralympic Games, all within a short period.
He explained: “When I assumed office as the Minister of Sports Development in August 2023, I was confronted with the task of executing four international competitions namely the AFCON, the African Games, and the Olympics and Paralympic Games in a matter of a few months. I was also reminded that the Olympic Games is the world’s supreme sports competition, and countries require at least four years to prepare for it. I held extensive discussions with the management staff of the ministry and got to know that preparations for the Olympics, which was less than a year away, had not started.
“After the African Games, subsequent meetings were limited to the federations that had bright chances of qualifying for the Olympics. Medal projections were made by all the federations, although their athletes were still trying to qualify; which lasted until about June 2024. The concerned federations prioritized qualification over preparations for the Games. This seems to have always been the case. This has to change.”
More...
Rena Wakama, the first Nigerian female basketball coach, has been named the ‘best coach’ at this year’s Olympics after guiding D’Tigress to historical achievements in Paris.
The 32-year-old was recognised by FIBA and the Olympic organisers for leading D’Tigress to the tournament quarter-finals for the first time in its history.
Nigeria won her first basketball match in the Olympics under the former college basketball player’s tutelage.
D’Tigress opened their Olympics campaign by defeating third-ranked Australia in a major upset. The North Carolina-born coach also led her team to a shock win over fifth-ranked Canada in the final group game to seal a maiden appearance in the knockout stage.
It was the first time an African country would make the last eight of the Olympic basketball tournament — male or female.
Nigeria eventually succumbed to the United States in the quarter-finals.
In a blog post on Sunday, FIBA praised Wakama’s D’Tigress for putting up the “most impactful performance by an African team in history” at the Olympic basketball competitions.
Advertisement
It also described the leadership of Wakama as one of the “main drivers of Nigeria’s unprecedented success” at the tournament.
“Nigeria made everyone sit up and take notice by beating Australia on opening day and that was the first time they had won a Group phase game,” the post reads.
“A few days later and Nigeria stunned Canada to become the first African team to take two wins at the Games, once again their tenacious defense providing the platform for success.
“Even more impressive, this secured them a ticket to the knockout phase and they became the first African team in history, men or women, to play in the Olympic Quarter-Finals.
Advertisement
“Their campaign eventually came to a close when they were beaten by USA, but even then they showed their fighting spirit and qualities until the very end.”
FIBA also described Wakama as “one of the youngest coaches in Olympic history who delivered a new high tide mark for Nigeria and African basketball”.
Advertisement
Born in Raleigh, North Carolina, US, she was appointed coach of the Nigerian women’s basketball team in June 2023.
In August 2023, the Wakama-led ladies defeated Senegal 84-74 in the final of the women’s Afrobasket championship.
Advertisement
The victory placed Nigeria as the second African country to win the women’s Afrobasket title four times in a row.
Media
? Best coach of #Paris2024 Women's Basketball
— FIBA (@FIBA) August 11, 2024
Rene Wakama, Nigeria ?? pic.twitter.com/iAe0eh4Rso
The 2023 presidential candidate of Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, has called on the federal government to investigate what he termed the ‘rascalities of leaders’ that always rob Nigeria golden opportunities to make a positive change.
Obi was reacting to the poor outing of Nigerian team in the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024. He complained against the attitude of Nigerian sporting authorities, noting that their gross misconducts should be checked.
According to him: “Now that the Paris Olympics 2024 has officially ended and our dear Team Nigeria, despite the huge financial investment made into the project, is returning without a single medal, let me unreservedly register my displeasure with the performance of our team and their handlers.
The rascality and recklessness that has continued to characterise leadership in our nation in nearly every department. The general impression that has come to stick is the one that portrays our country as a joke, even on the international stage.
How can one explain that a country like Jamaica spent less than 5% of what we spent on our contingents for the Paris Olympics 2024 and won as many as 6 medals. Yet with our huge financial investments and large contingent, we could not win even a single medal?
At least nine African countries won gold but the giant with over 200m people came home without even a bronze! We invested about N12 billion in this year’ s Olympics, which is almost twice the amount budgeted for the entire Ministry of Science and Technology for this year.
This is over N136 million (about $85,000) spent on each of the 88 Nigerian contingents to the Olympics, and no single medal was won while Jamaica, a nation which spent far less than we did, a total of about $2300 on each contingent, won 6 medals; 1 Gold, 3 Silver and 2 Bronze at the Olympics. We must now interrogate the relationship between this huge investment and our dismal outcome. Sad stories like this are our lot only because we have refused to embrace competence and capacity over routine and favouritism in Nigeria.
Let us consider the case of Favour Ofili, a Nigerian professional sprinter who trained for years for the 2024 Olympics, only for her name to be recklessly and wrongly removed from the list of athletes for the 100m race at the Olympics by Nigerian sporting authorities.
What explanation can anyone give about Annette Echikunwoke, a former Nigerian hammer thrower, who was frustrated by the same rascality of some Nigerian leaders, making her switch her allegiance to the United States, where she eventually won a medal in the just completed Olympics?
These same professional athletes were denied the opportunity to represent our nation in Tokyo 2020, for similar reasons of administrative recklessness. I have it on good authority that some injured athletes, not physically fit to represent the country and not competing in the ongoing Olympics, were there in Paris receiving estacodes from our national resources. Some of the sports officials and others who have no reason to be at the Olympics were there too, living large and feeding fat on the estacodes while our nation was crashing out on every sporting event. One of our athletes, Ese Ukpeseraye, had to borrow a bicycle to compete at her sporting event!
How can one sensibly explain such recklessness and infamy?
What a country! What a shame! When do we stop these rascalities that always rob our nation of golden opportunities to make a positive change? I call on the government to investigate these gross misconducts and make sure that those responsible do not have the opportunity to do so again. We must build a nation of discipline and commitment to duty, where competence and capacity reign. That is the New Nigeria we preach, and it is Possible”.
The Nigerian contingent has officially wrapped up their Paris 2024 Olympics campaign with no medals, despite the participation of 88 athletes in 12 different sports.
Team Nigeria’s performance mirrored the country’s disappointing showing at the 2012 London Olympics, where the team also failed to win a medal.
The Minister of Sports, Senator John Enoh, described the team’s performance as a “disaster” and vowed to prevent a repeat of such results in the future.
Despite Nigeria not winning any medals, athletes of Nigerian descent secured medals at the Games.
Here are five athletes of Nigerian origin who won medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Yemisi Ogunleye
Germany’s Yemisi Ogunleye grabbed the gold medal in the women’s shot put at the Paris Olympics on Friday, throwing her winning 20.00m with her final attempt.
With her victory, Ogunleye became the first German to win the shot put event in 28 years, since the Atlanta 1996 Olympics.
Ogunleye was born in Germany to a Nigerian father from Ekiti and a German mother.
After her win, Ogunleye acknowledged her diverse background in a video trending on social media and sang a Yoruba gospel song.
Annette Echikunwoke
Echikunwoke is the only athlete to have represented Nigeria in this list but opted to represent the United States after her disqualification at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
She missed out on competing in the hammer throw at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics because the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) failed to conduct the required drug tests for athletes.
The 28-year-old, who holds the African record in the hammer throwing event, won an Olympic silver medal in women’s hammer throw.
Commenting on the feat, Washington Post quoted her as saying, “I’m happy it’s happening now. Everything happens for a reason, even if it’s bad or good or ugly. But this is beautiful.”
Samu Omorodion
Born in Melilia, Spain, to Nigerian parents, the 20-year-old forward is set to sign for Premier League side, Chelsea, from Atletico Madrid, according to football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
Omorodion was part of the Spanish side that defeated host, France, 5-3 in extra time to win Olympic gold in men’s football.
He scored just once in the competition, in a 2-1 loss to Egypt in the group stage.
Salwa Eid Naser
The Nigerian-born sprinter won silver for Bahrain in the 400m women’s event at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
She crossed the finish line in 48.53 seconds, trailing Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic, who set a new Olympic record with a time of 48.17 seconds.
The 26-year-old formerly known as Ebelechukwu Agbapuonwu was born in Onitsha, Anambra.
Michael Olise
Bayern Munich’s new signing Olise was part of the French team that won silver in men’s football.
Olise was born in England to a Nigerian father and a French-Algerian mother.
His younger brother, Richard, plays for Chelsea FC in England.
[Vanguard]
Sports Minister, John Enoh, Calls Nigeria’s 2024 Olympics Performance ‘Disaster’
Team Nigeria ended their participation in the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France, without securing any medals for the country.
The last remaining athlete representing Nigeria, Hannah Reuben, aimed to clinch a medal for the West African Country in the women’s freestyle wrestling 76kg category.
Unfortunately, she was defeated in her second-round fight, losing 5-2 (by points) to Mongolia’s Davaanasan Amar Enkh.
The disappointment came from Tobi Amusan’s inability to advance to the final of the women’s 100m hurdles.
Furthermore, Nigeria’s 4x400m men’s relay team faced disqualification following their semi-final race. This unfortunate outcome marked Nigeria’s poorest performance at the Olympics since the 2012 London Games.
Looking ahead, the next Olympics are scheduled to take place in Los Angeles in 2028 which means that the sports ministry in Nigeria has at most four years to prepare for another game.
Sports Minister, John Enoh, Calls Nigeria’s 2024 Olympics Performance ‘Disaster’
The Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh, has expressed his disappointment with Team Nigeria’s performance at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
In a statement posted on his X page earlier today, August 10, John Enoh emphasized that the failure to secure any medals reflects underlying issues that require immediate attention.
He highlighted the need for careful consideration in the upcoming sports federation elections to ensure that the most qualified individuals are elected to lead the various sports federations.
John Enoh wrote, “Yesterday, I met with gentlemen of the press at the Nigerian Embassy in Paris for a press briefing following the country’s participation in the 2024 Olympics. As we go back home, we must do everything to prevent future occurrences of the Paris disaster and if this will entail the review of how people are elected to lead our sporting federations, it will be done.
“The elections for the federations are around the corner, and it will be the perfect platform to get only those who are most eligible to lead the various sports federations.
“Team Nigeria’s disappointing performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where the country did not secure any medals does not entail being addressed just by our participation at the Olympics, but it is a product of very many other things that need immediate attention.”
Despite assertions that the ministry adequately supported the athletes both financially and otherwise, Senator Enoh underscored the importance of addressing systemic issues beyond just participation in the Olympics.
“We did everything as a ministry to prepare the athletes adequately and provide them with every financial support, but unfortunately, the performance did not produce any podium finish,” he said.
Looking ahead to the federation elections, he emphasized the need for rigorous scrutiny of the candidates to elevate the standards of leadership within Nigeria’s sports federations.
He wrote: “I am aware that the sports federations elections in Nigeria are even tougher than our national elections. We must set our standards to scrutinize what motivates those vying to run the federations and get only the best hands.
“This call for reform aims to enhance the leadership and effectiveness of Nigeria’s sports federations, paving the way for improved performance on the global stage.”
Top 20 countries of the 2024 Paris Olympics medals table
As of 2:50 p.m. (Nigerian Time), China are sitting at the top of the medals table with a total of 84 medals, which comprises 34 gold, 27 silver, and 23 bronze.
Even though the United States have more medals (113) than China, they are second because they have one gold less than the Asian giants.
Below are the top 20:
Format: Country, Gold, Silver, Bronze, total number of medals
1. China – 34 | 27 | 23 = 84
2. United States – 33 | 41 | 39 = 113
3. Australia – 18 | 16 | 14 = 48
4. Japan – 16 | 8 | 13 = 37
5. France – 15 | 20 | 22 = 57
6. Great Britain – 14 |20 | 23 = 57
7. Korea – 13 8 8 29
8. Netherlands – 13 6 11 30
9. Germany – 12 9 8 29
10. Italy – 11 12 13 36
11. Canada – 8 6 11 25
12. New Zealand – 7 7 2 16
13. Hungary – 5 7 6 18
14. Uzbekistan – 5 1 3 9
15. Spain – 4 3 8 15
16. Ireland – 4 0 3 7
17. Brazil – 3 6 9 18
18. Ukraine – 3 4 4 11
19. Sweden – 3 4 3 10
20. Romania – 3 4 1 8
Note that the 2024 Olympics will officially come to an end on Sunday, August 11.