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Here is a prediction. The performance of Nigerian sports officials at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will spark a Brawn Drain in Nigeria. Brawn Drain is sustained defection of talented athletes to countries where sports people are honoured as brand ambassadors and catalysts for unity.
Nigerian sports officials do not get it. When an athlete qualifies to represent a nation in a world sporting event, the athlete automatically becomes a brand ambassador. It is a historical moment both for the athlete and their nation. When they mount the medals podium, their performance enters a page in the history books. Standing on the podium is however the icing on the cake, whether they are there for bronze, silver or the ultimate prize which is gold. What counts is the recognition that their country can produce the best in the world. It is the nation that benefits more.
At world sporting events, athletes not only don their national colours and fly national flags but may also promote side attractions that enhance national brand image. The free positive publicity they generate offsets by far whatever it costs the nation to sponsor athletes, coaches and officials to tournaments. In particular, elite athletes are the most credible promoters of subliminal advertising for any nation. Governments therefore spare no expenses to sponsor top athletes to championship games. In recognition of their image branding opportunity, multinationals often outspend governments in athlete and game sponsorships. Everyone needs a piece of the image pie that athletes dispense with their performances, on and off the pitch.
Conversely, sports officials are servants of athletes, not their masters. They do their best to stay out of the way as athletes and their coaches plot how to bring glory to themselves and to the fatherland. Not Nigerian sports officials though; they march in front of the national team, dish out orders like coaches, and sacrifice those who do not polish apples or perform corrupt duties when demanded. It is always a wonder how Nigerian elite athletes endure the punishment and humiliation that our sports officials routinely dish out.
The Nigerian female basketball team, D’Tigress is a typical example. As reported by the BBC, they suffered from “inadequate support and financial struggles (which) nearly crippled the team in their determination to mount the Olympic medal podium in France.” The sustained rubbishing of the team by officials possibly led to the withdrawal of team Captain, Sarah Ogoke. In France, the press reported how the girls were forced out of the ceremonial boat at the opening ceremony, and their places taken up by officials. They missed rifing in the boat and the opening ceremony as well. And this, after travelling nearly five hours by road to make it to Paris and back without a security escort.
Despite their serial suffering, the D’Tigress did the unthinkable with a coach that officials previously dismissed as too young and inexperienced. They became the first African basketball team – male or female – to reach the quarter finals of the Olympic Games. Their magnificent surge was only halted by the United States, 10-time champions with seven back-to-back Olympic gold.
Favour Ofili, the Delta speed star who competes in the 100 and 200 meter dashes, was another suffering heroine. A disgruntled official forgot to enter her name for the 100 meters race. She averted a similar fate in the 200 meters by crying out, thereby forcing officials, including the Sports Minister, to scramble for explanations and fake apologies. The Minister’s promise to fish out and punish the official who went rogue by executing this sabotage has remained what it is – a promise.
On her part, Tobi Amusan was the tragic heroine of the tournament. While deliberately discouraging Favour Ofili, officials and journalists mounted pressure on our magnificent hurdles maestro. Amusan apparently buckled under the weight of the unnecessary hype and pressure as she crashed out at the quarter final stages of the 100 meters hurdles. It was a tragic end for the hurdles queen who sashayed to Paris as champion and world record holder.
A careful reading of the negative stories that came out of the games suggests that sports officials intentionally destroyed the Nigerian team. We painfully watched the apparent lack of team spirit among our athletes. Unlike the World Athletics Games, we could not behold pictures of Tobi, Favour and company doing their Sister Act during the tournament. Their side attractions at previous competitions promoted the Nigerian can-do spirit as well as our culture, music and dance. If what happened in France was the handiwork of sports officials, they will surely be rewarded for promoting favouritism and division.
When will Nigerian sports officials get it? In sane climes, officials who accompany athletes to the Olympics and other world championship games ride on the back of those athletes. They know that they attend the games because their athletes qualified to participate. On the other hand, our officials see their job as preselection of athletes and following the successful to international tournaments. Their job does not include what other nations do, which are to set sports development goals, develop strategies to achieve the goals, motivate athletes to optimum performance, ensure that teams or individual athletes are not exposed to discrimination or harm, strive to foster a positive team environment, and promote teamwork. Sports officials dedicate time and resources to groom, support, sponsor, and encourage those with potential to bring glory to their nations. When will Nigerian sports officials get it?
To ensure that the Nigerian system remains corrupted, sports officials intentionally leave athletes to struggle on their own in the long and arduous journey to the top. They force elite athletes to pay their way to attend qualifying games. As happened in Paris 2024 with Favour Ofili, they decide when and if to enter an athlete’s name for the games. We heard stories of athletes that were sidelined for refusing to grease palms or open their legs. We also heard about officials unilaterally inserting athletes with no hope of winning into the team. They select coaches who can be intimidated to choose their favourites rather than the best. In short, our officials, from football to track and field, are in business to make athletes eat humble pie, even if it means painting a negative image for Nigeria when the world meets at a tournament. They give the impression that they do not know the job descriptions of sports leaders.
This is why many commentators have suggested that karma visited Nigeria at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. We watched in regret as four elite athletes with Nigerian blood won two gold and two silver medals at the Games. The four however represented Germany, Spain, Bahrain, and the USA. Had these athletes continued to represent Nigeria, we would have placed 31st among 206 countries that competed at the Games. Only Kenya with 4 gold, 2 silver and 5 bronze medals would have been ahead of Nigeria in Africa. Consequently, Nigeria found itself in the garbage bin, among countries whose citizens moaned as their sports officials relished the joy of participating in another junket. We also left a record of the worst performance since 1952 when Nigeria started participating in the Olympic Games.
Nigeria we hail thee.
