Former National Sports Commission director-general and astute sports administrator Dr. Amos Adamu said Nigeria is lagging behind in preparations for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angelos USA and the country may once again be returning home empty handed.
At the Paris 2024 Games Nigeria failed to win a single medal, despite the release of N12 billion by the government of President Bola Tinubu. Speaking during the week in Ilorin Kwara State, Adamu noted that medals are not sold at the games for countries to buy but are won by athletes who had prepared adequately.
“Where would the medals come from? They don’t buy medals at the Olympics. You plan and work for this over time,” said Adamu who during his time at the helm of the NSC in 1996 Nigeria posted its best performance at the Olympics with the Nigeria U-23 football team winning gold, Chioma Ajunwa winning Nigeria’s first track and field gold in the women long jump, Mary Onyali winning bronze in the women 200m, Falilat Ogunkoya bronze in the women 400m and the women 4x400m winning silver.
Such feat has never been matched by the Nigerian team at the Olympics. Adamu submitted that preparations must begin now if Nigeria is to avoid the Paris 2024 embarrassment.
“The same fate may befall us at the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles in the US in 2028, because there is so far no concrete plan on ground to change the narrative.
“Even with an increased budget now, there may be nothing to celebrate as achievement at the end of the 2028 Games if concrete steps were not taken immediately,” he said.
