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Tag: Nigerian Athletes

  • Photos: Disqualified Nigerian Athletes Protest In Tokyo

    Photos: Disqualified Nigerian Athletes Protest In Tokyo

    Nigerian track and field athletes staged a protest in Tokyo after 10 of them were disqualified from participating at the on-going Olympic Games.

    Twenty athletes, including 10 from Nigeria, were disqualified from participating in track and field at the Olympics because they did not meet anti-doping testing requirements in the lead-up to the Games.

    The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) which runs the anti-doping program for the sport, requires athletes from countries categorized as “high risk” because of deficiencies in their testing programs to be given three no-notice, out-of-competition tests in the 10 months leading to a major event.

    Following the disqualification, the athletes took to the streets in Tokyo to make their feelings known.

    The protesting athletes carried placards with inscriptions like:“Why should we suffer for someone else’s negligence”, “All we wanted to do was compete” and “We are not just alternates but potential medalists.”

    On Friday the duo of Blessing Okagbare and Grace Nwokocha qualified for the 100 metres semi-finals of their different heats.

  • Tokyo 2020: Nigerian athletes lament sleeping difficulty

    Tokyo 2020: Nigerian athletes lament sleeping difficulty

    Some Nigerian athletes due to take part in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan this summer have complained that they are suffering from sleep disruptions.
    The athletes lamented that they are struggling to acclimatise to the time zone in Japan, which is eight hours ahead of Nigeria’s.

    In a video clip from Tokyo, by Chika Chukwumerije, a member of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation(NTF) the Olympians said it would have been worse if they got to Tokyo late.

    Quadri Aruna, table tennis player and Team Nigeria’s captain, said: “It’s a good decision to be here early. I came two days ago, still myself and some of the athletes are finding it very difficult to sleep.

    “I think that in the next five days, we will be able to acclimatise and this will help us a lot by the time the Games begin,’’ Aruna said.

    Offiong Edem, another table tennis player, said her sleep and training time had been affected due to the new time zone.

    “Since I arrived here a few days ago, I have been having issues with sleeping, due to the time difference, but I think that I can sleep now.

    “ Earlier, it was a bit difficult for me and I struggled with my trainings in the morning, but my body is getting used to it and the situation is getting better,’’Edem said.

    On her part, Yinka Ajayi, a 400m athlete, also said: “Just like my colleagues, I have been struggling with sleep but I will get used to it and be better in the coming days before the Olympics begin.”

  • Tokyo 2020: NOC foresees better performance by Nigerian athletes

    Tokyo 2020: NOC foresees better performance by Nigerian athletes

    The President, Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Habu Gumel, on Wednesday assured that the country’s athletes would do better at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

     

    Gumel told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that NOC was working tirelessly to see that the athletes were well motivated to perform better during the Olympics.

     

    NAN reports that Gumel spoke on the sidelines of the inauguration of 11 NOC Commissions that would assist in delivering its objectives through advisory roles and technical support.

     

    “We want our athletes to go to the Olympics and do the nation proud. The technical committee will go to the camps to see the challenges and advise on ways to improve their welfare.

     

    “We are working tirelessly to see that the athletes are well motivated to perform better during the Olympics.

     

    “Not only that, after the Olympics, we want to have new players that will fill in the shoes of the ageing ones,” he said.

     

    Earlier in his speech, Gumel said that the inauguration of the NOC Commissions was another landmark event in the annals of the Olympic movement in Nigeria.

     

    “The creation of NOC Commissions is in line with the provisions of the IOC and NOC statutes, as these subsidiary governing bodies are not only advisory, but equally essential in promoting Olympic values.

     

    “The NOC administration has adopted a broad-based approach in the appointment of these commissions, in line with vision of expanding the scope of our operations to cover vital departments of Olympism,” he said.

     

    The Chairman of Athletes Commission, Olumide Oyedeji said that the appointment would help to address the past ills in the approach to the athletes’ welfare.

     

    “This is a right step in the right direction because, we will have to sit down and see to the welfare of the athletes.

     

    “The committee will proffer solution on how to correct the past ills as far as their welfare is concerned, this is the time to make sure that the athletes are at the centre of things.

     

    “In the past, athletes’ welfare have been overlooked, but now, we can have a voice because I have been in that shoe before and now we have a consensus on the welfare,” he said.

     

    NAN reports that the 11 committees inaugurated were: Technical/Development, which has Lawrence Iquaibom as Chairman and Chidi Ejiogu as Vice Chairman.

    Marketing and Sponsorship; Wahid Oshodi, Chairman, Abdul Ibrahim: Liaison; Habu Gumel, Chairman, Solomon Ogba, Vice-Chairman: Athletes; Olumide Oyedeji, Chairman, Mariam Usman, Vice Chairman.

    Olympic Education; Mohammed Abdullahi, Chairman, Patrick Okpah, Vice Chairman: Sports for All; Anthony Oyetayo, Chairman, Yakubu Ibrahim, Vice Chairman: Sports/Environment Mohammed Suleiman, Gambo Labbo. Vice Chairman.

    Ethics/Good Governance; Gbenga Elegbeleye, Chairman, Chiojioke Okoli and OlympAfrica Development; Ishaku Tikon, Babatunde Fatayi-Williams.