At the end of day 14 at #Paris2024, here’s how the medal table looks on the African continent
Sports minister decries Nigeria’s poor performance at Paris Olympics
By Olayinka Owolewa
The Minster of Sports, Sen. John Enoh, has decried Nigeria’s disappointing performance at the ongoing Paris Olympics, stressing the need for repositioning of the sport sector for better performance in future events.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Enoh said this on Friday in Paris, while briefing Nigerian journalists at the event.
He said the nation should learn from the Paris experience and plan better by giving the sector priority attention.
The minister also identified the deteriorating level of infrastructure and poor funding of sports in the country as challenges facing the ministry.
“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 positive 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, in long jump, we may not have won any medal, but we had three Nigerians taking part in the finals.”
The minister expressed worries with the commitment and the patriotism of some of the athletes at the event.
He pointed out that in preparing for the competition, many variables responsible for impressive performance at the Olympics were not followed.
“Olympics requires many variables, talking about the training and preparation, how much of it took place.
“The commitment of the athletes and their level of patrotism, I’m 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 despite the outcome of the Olympics, it is not easy. In the word of people in those days, the fun is not in winning but in participation.”
NAN recalls that Nigeria had yet to win a medal as at the time of filing this report even though it was competing in12 events with 88 athletes. C(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
