The Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) has agreed with the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development that Team Nigeria would participate in various international sporting events, including the African Beach Games, the Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago, and the ANOC World Beach Games in Bali, Indonesia.
Following the meeting of NOC’s Executive Board at the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) in Abuja last Wednesday, the committee resolved that these competitions would help the federations in their preparations ahead of two important events next year – the African Games to be staged by Ghana in March and the 2024 Paris Olympic Games being hosted by France.
According to the communiqué by its Public Relations Officer, Mr. Tony Nezianya, in between these events are many Olympic qualifying championships to be attended by National Sports Federations for them to make the stiff qualifying standards for the Paris Games.
According to the spokesman, the NOC President, Engr. Habu Ahmed Gumel unveiled two major properties, both newly re-developed infrastructure – Amuwo Odofin Olympic Village and a multi-purpose indoor hall. Nezianya explained that the Village has several sporting facilities, including pitched for football, tennis, volleyball and basketball courts, while the indoor hall would enable sports and cultural activities to be under one roof. The facility also has an Athletics running tracks.
Gumel announced to Board that five hectares of land have been allocated to the NOC by the Federal Capital Authority and the NOC has taken possession of all the relevant documents.
“The land will house the committee’s permanent secretariat and some sporting infrastructure as well as other complementing facilities. It will be fenced to protect the property.
‘’In order not to let the land lie fallow for a long time, the committee has taken an opportunity offered by the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa to apply for a grant to build some essential facilities like the secretariat”, the NOC President said.
The Board meeting later received the then Minister of Youth and Sports, Chief Sunday Dare, who praised the committee for its enduring work to provide funding support —
He praised the committee for enduring work it had been doing to provide funding support – training grants and scholarships – from the Olympic Solidarity and ANOCA.
“This means that companies that support will get tax exemptions. This is one crucial accomplishment that can turn around the fortunes of sports.
“We have also obtained assurance that the athletes would henceforth be fairly rewarded as they will be better prepared to win medals in major Games”, Dare said.
He praised the NOC for the numerous courses it always secured from the Olympic Solidarity through the Olympic Committee (IOC) and ANOCA in improving the skills of coaches and sports administrators, and pleaded that these be sustained.
On behalf of the committee, Gumel commended the minister over the numerous achievements, including victories during the Commonwealth Games and the World Athletics Championship, and raising funding to support the completion of the ANOCA Secretariat.
That World Championship provided an avenue for Tobin Amunsan and her colleagues to post exceptional performances.
Gumel, however, reminded the National Federations that the last time that Team Nigeria won major medals (two gold medals from the Olympic Games) was at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Nigeria’s Dream Team led by Nwankwo Kanu won the football Olympic gold, while Policewoman, Chioma Ajunwa won the women’s Long Jump in a distance of 6.12 metres in her first jump. She did not improve in subsequent jumps as the first was enough to fetch her the ultimate medal.
“We must produce exceptional athletes who should turn around the fortunes of the country by winning gold medals at the Paris Games in 2024”, the NOC President emphasised.
