The President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Engr. Habu Gumel led a joint team of the Executive Committee, and the Executive Board chairmen of the Sports Federation Chairmen to the Main Media Centre of the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja for a meeting with the Minister of Sports, Senator John Enoh Ministry, NOC, Federation chart to Games’ future on the upcoming Multigames involving Nigeria next year.
While the Winter Youth Games will hold in Guam, South Korea from 9th January to 1st February 2024, the 13th African Games will take place from 8th to 23rd March 2024 in Accra Ghana.
Gumel said: “By far the biggest, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, to be staged in Paris, France from 26th July to 11th August 11 2024.
“Right now the qualification for individual and team sports the Paris Games are going on. As far as the Olympic Games are concerned. a critical take off is qualification tournaments.
‘’The failure of any federation of or team athlete to feature in one or more qualification tournaments lined up by the international federation, ahead of the Games simply means automatic disqualification from attending the Games”.
To underscore the qualification as a key component, Gumel said that, to date, only eight athletes have so far qualified. And these are three athletes from athletics, three from boxing and one each from wrestling and cycling,
“We are still hopeful that the women basketball team and women soccer teams would qualify for the Paris Games.
“We are using every opportunity provided by this joint meeting to solicit the Minister’s good will and intervention to ensure that the medal hopefuls in key sports are able to participate in their programmed Olympic qualifying events”, said Gumel.
Ahead of the Games, the NOC emphasised the importance of government support and funding for sports programmes, infrastructure, and athlete development.
He highlighted the need for increased investments in sports facilities, training centres, and coaching programs to cultivate and nurture young talent.
According to Gumel, the NOC, as a worthy co-partner in national sports development, has not been folding its hands to watch the FG carry the burden of funding sports alone.
“In our own little way, we are equally passionately committed to the delivery of values to our stakeholders, especially in area of capacity building to support National Federation administrative and technical structures” he said.
The meeting also addressed issues such as doping control, sports legislation, and international collaborations. Both the NOC and the minister expressed their commitment to ensure fair play and integrity in sports by strengthening anti-doping measures and implementing strict regulations.
All the parties are encouraged to collaborate and cooperate, particularly, the ministry and the NOC to achieve the shared objective of sports development and excellence.
Overall, the joint meeting was productive and constructive, with both parties demonstrating their dedication to fostering a thriving sports ecosystem in the country.
Furthermore, the executive board presented their plans for hosting international sporting events and bidding for major tournaments.
They stressed the potential economic and social benefits of hosting such events, including increased tourism, job creation, and national pride.
Enoh praised the efforts of the NOC in promoting sports and reiterated the government’s commitment to supporting their initiatives.
Although the minister felt a little upset about recurring issues of getting government funding and refunds of amounts sourced with approval of the ministry to support qualifying tournaments, the matter needed to be addressed.
He later admitted that there would the need to face the issue, stressing that fresh ideas would also be needed to get the private sector to move sports from mere recreation to sports industry policy.
This will be in line with a position canvassed by the previous administration and approved as a way forward by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
It was agreed there would be a need to meet again for a sustainable strategy to overcome obstacles for more podium results.
