Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, has reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to the welfare of Nigerian athletes as Team Nigeria intensifies preparations for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
The Commonwealth Games will take place from 23 July to 2 August, with Nigeria expected to compete in 10 sports through a 74-member athlete contingent.
Team Nigeria will be seeking to improve on its performance at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where it emerged as Africa’s highest-ranked nation after winning 35 medals comprising 12 gold, nine silver and 14 bronze.
The athletes are currently undergoing the final phase of their preparations at the Aberdeen Sports Village in Scotland, where they will spend three weeks in camp before relocating to Glasgow for the Games.
Training commenced at the facility on Monday, with several athletes praising the National Sports Commission for the quality of the camping arrangements.
Speaking with The PUNCH, Olopade said the Commission’s priority was to provide athletes with the best possible environment to prepare for the competition, adding that their pre-Games and competition allowances were being processed for payment.
“At the heart of our strategy is the welfare of our athletes. We said the days of making our athletes feel inferior are gone. The days of making them feel hungry are gone, so they must be treated very well,” Olopade said.
He disclosed that the preparations had taken more than 18 months and stressed that athletes remained the Commission’s foremost priority.
“As we speak, their allowances are being processed for direct payment into their accounts,” he added.
Olopade said the athlete-centred approach extends beyond the Commonwealth Games, describing it as a key policy of the Commission.
“It is not just for the Commonwealth Games; it is something we have been doing with individual sports, and we have been telling the federations that they must continue to do so,” he said.
