Adura Olalehin who is leading Nigerian boxers charge for medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics has assured that the team is in good hands and are capable of making the country proud in the Games, which begin this weekend.
Adura who has represented Nigeria at the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and African Games in the light heavyweight division was reacting to discussions on Sportsvile broadcast on Channels TV, which portrayed him as being unfit to coach the Nigerian boxers to the Olympics.
Following the broadcast, Adura was scrutinised by the Sports Ministry’s Podium Performance Committee for the 2024 Olympics in the athletes’ training camp in Germany. He was found to be competent and experienced enough to be in the corner of the Cynthia Ogunsemilore women 60kg, Joshua Omole men 57kg and Adam Olaore men 92kg who are vying for Olympic medals in the French capitol.
“Having represented the country and being in boxing for much of my adult life, it is pure misinformation and pure mischief for anybody to say that I’m not good enough to coach the team.
“I want to assure Nigerians that we are prepared and are ready to fight all the way to the medals zone,” said Adura.
Also speaking, Nigeria Coaches Association president, Gabriel Opuana, advised media practitioners to always get their facts right when making their presentations, so that there wouldn’t be any disaffection in the camp of Nigerian athletes at the Olympics.
“The broadcast caused a lot of stir in the camp and I would very much appeal to the media to make factual presentations so that the athletes and coaches can concentrate on doing their jobs of winning medals.
“That coach Tony Konyegwachi couldn’t make it to the Games because of problems he had with the boxing federation does not mean that the credentials of Adura to handle the team should be doubted.
“He has represented Nigeria at the highest level and has a fledgling boxing gym in California, USA. The Nigeria Coaches Association is giving him and every other coach here encouragement to keep doing their best for Team Nigeria.”
Adura silver medalist at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia