The Director-General of National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon Bukola Olopade, has dismissed claims that officials from the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and NSC embarked on a “jamboree” trip to Tokyo, Japan for the World Athletics Championships.
The claims were made in a report by Prince Media Center, which alleged that more officials than athletes travelled to Tokyo, accusing administrators of chasing estacode allowances while neglecting qualified athletes.
Olopade, writing on the popular Nigerian WhatsApp platform Sports World, rejected the story outright.
He described the report as a “rubbish story” and insisted that the AFN delegation included only those required for competition.
“AFN is in Tokyo with 15 athletes, four coaches, two medical officials, the President and the Secretary who are here for the Congress,” he said.
The NSC DG also stressed that he travelled independently and was not accompanied by any aides.
“I am here alone, without an aide, for the World Running Conference as a World Athletics guest,” he explained.
“I have attended the last five World Championships and World Relays long before I became DG. I am the only one from the NSC.”
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Olopade added that such stories were damaging to Nigerian sport. “We need to stop the fake news and the brand destruction of sports. This is sad,” he said.
The article had also criticised the absence of Nigeria’s relay teams in Tokyo, blaming administrators for failing to prepare athletes for the World Relays earlier in the year.
Nigeria’s confirmed squad for the championships includes Tobi Amusan in the women’s 100m hurdles, Rosemary Chukwuma in the women’s 100m, Kanyinsola Ajayi and Israel Sunday Okon in the men’s 100m, Udodi Onwuzurike in the men’s 200m, Samuel Ogazi and Chidi Okezie in the men’s 400m, and Ezekiel Nathaniel in the men’s 400m hurdles.
Ese Brume and Prestina Ochonogor are listed for the women’s long jump, alongside Charles Godfred in the men’s long jump.
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In the throws, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi will compete in the men’s shot put, Chioma Onyekwere-Lyons and Obiageri Amaechi in the women’s discus, and Oyesade Olatoye in the women’s hammer.
In total, 15 athletes are representing Nigeria at the championships.
