Nigeria’s Sports Minister, John Enoh, has issued a public apology to Nigerians following the country’s disappointing performance at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, where the national team returned home without a single medal.
Despite substantial funding and preparation, the outcome fell far short of expectations, leaving both the government and citizens disheartened.
The Federal Government had allocated ₦12 billion to support the nation’s participation in both the Olympics and Paralympics, with ₦9 billion earmarked specifically for the Olympics.
The investment was intended to boost the country’s chances of success on the global stage.
However, the results did not reflect the resources committed.
Enoh, who took office in August 2023, has taken responsibility for the team’s poor showing and acknowledged that the performance was below par.
In a statement released on Sunday, he expressed his regret and vowed to undertake a thorough review of what went wrong in Paris.
“The Olympic Games, Paris 2024, have ended, and I accept that our performance should have been a lot better.
“It obviously 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 8th),” Enoh stated.
When Enoh assumed office, he was immediately confronted with the challenge of preparing for several major international competitions, including the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the African Games, and the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
However, he quickly discovered that preparations for the Olympics had not yet begun, despite the event being less than a year away.
Recognising the urgency of the situation, Enoh held discussions with the Ministry’s management team and took swift action to jump-start the preparations.
He requested all National Sports Federations to submit their plans and embarked on a nationwide inspection of sports facilities to assess the country’s readiness.
In a bid to boost the athletes’ performance, Enoh formed the Ministerial Podium Performance Advisory Committee, which comprised seasoned sports professionals.
The committee was tasked with driving the preparation process and ensuring that Nigeria’s athletes were adequately equipped for the challenges ahead.
However, the late start in preparations put the Nigerian team at a disadvantage compared to their counterparts from other countries, many of whom had qualified for the Olympics almost a year in advance and had already structured their training programs accordingly.
The Nigerian athletes faced additional challenges as they had to juggle multiple competitions in quick succession, including AFCON and the African Games, while also participating in Olympic and Paralympic qualification tournaments.
This demanding schedule forced the athletes to reach peak performance levels multiple times within a short period, which Enoh acknowledged as a significant disadvantage.
In an effort to enhance the athletes’ preparation, the Ministry approved both onshore and offshore training camps, with the majority of the team training in Saarbrucken, Germany, and Sevilla, Spain.
The choice of these locations was based on recommendations from the Ministry’s team, including a former world champion and Olympic gold medalist who was familiar with Olympic-standard facilities.
The training camps also received support from the Ministerial Podium Performance Advisory Committee, which provided scientific preparation and mental strength training to the athletes. Independent sources, including athletes, coaches, and team administrators, confirmed the high quality of the support provided during the training sessions.
Despite these efforts, the Nigerian team’s performance at the Paris Olympics was disappointing, prompting Enoh to question what went wrong.
He emphasised that the athletes had received the necessary support, with competition requirements met, allowances paid on time, and training grants disbursed to all athletes.
Furthermore, Tinubu had ensured that funds were not a limiting factor.
“Therefore, the underwhelming performance of our team is puzzling. We owe Nigerians an explanation,” Enoh said.
In response to the disappointing outcome, the Ministry of Sports has initiated a comprehensive review process to evaluate the competition readiness of each athlete.
This review will include an examination of injury and medical histories, the role of coaches, and the performance of administrative staff.
Enoh is determined to learn from the experience and make the necessary improvements to avoid a repeat of the Paris 2024 outcome.
Nigeria has a storied history at the Olympics, with notable successes in previous years.
The country’s last medal-less outing was in 2012, but it bounced back with a bronze medal in 2016 and a silver and bronze in the 2020 Olympics.
Given this track record, the results from Paris were particularly disappointing, and there is a shared sense that Nigeria can and should achieve more on the global sports stage.
Enoh’s apology and commitment to a thorough review mark the beginning of what he hopes will be a turning point for Nigerian sports.
He urged Nigerians to see the 2024 Olympic failure as an opportunity to learn and grow, with the aim of turning the disastrous outcome into a positive for the future of sports in the country.
As the Ministry of Sports prepares for the upcoming Paralympic Games, which will take place from August 28 to September 8, Enoh is optimistic that lessons learned from the Olympic experience will lead to better results.
He expressed confidence that with the right approach, Nigeria’s athletes can achieve success and restore the country’s reputation on the international sports stage.
