SINCE the 1996 Atlanta Olympics when Nigeria won two gold medals, we have not been performing well in subsequent games. The London 2012 Olympics was the most disastrous for the country as we didn’t win a single medal. What is shocking is that many other countries that are on the medals table are not as blessed as Nigeria, but what we are lacking is administration. Why can’t our sports administrators in the state and local governments organise competitions among primary and secondary school students? In fact, one of the medal winners from South Korea is a 15-year-old high school gymnast. Why can’t the Swimming federation focus on the youth in the Niger Delta by honing their skills in swimming? Our problem is that we have a defective sports development programme, and we will continue to lag behind at international sporting competitions.
- Vincent Akadiri,
08030461538.