The Olympic Games is no longer going to be a jamboree, thus declared Chief Executive Officer, CEO of the National Sports Commission’s Elites Athletes and Podium board, Yusuf Ali, reports MJConcept TV News.
He said soon after the board was inaugurated in Abuja that only the medal hopefuls would be allowed in the training session for the Olympics and other international competitions.
Page3news reports that, Yusuf Ali, who ruled the Africa Long Jump event for over 27 years, was unequivocal on Nigeria’s participation in the subsequent Olympic Games as he said that it is no longer going to be a jamboree.
“Nigeria’s participation in the subsequent international competitions, being it Africa Games, is no longer going to be business as usual. If the athletes’ performance in whichever event is not the games’ record time or better, he/she would not be considered attending the competition. We’re targeting an athlete snatching two superior medals in the event featured, and not a ‘clapperboard’ in the team.
This is a signal to the usual crowd that accompanies the Nigeria team in any competition,” Yusuf Ali said.
Skippo, as he is fondly called, said, “Collegiate Sports would need to be resuscitated to discover talented athletes who can take the world by storm, and make the country proud.”
According to Ali, the fire brigade approach is no longer going to be the way Nigeria must prepare for major events. “For the Olympic Games, Nigeria starts preparations when the games torch arrives Nigeria. That’s not supposed to be the situation.
If we can prepare , we’ll win.”