Nigeria's Troubles at the Paris 2024 Olympics

The initial excitement and optimism of Sports Development Minister Senator John Owan Enoh for Team Nigeria's participation in the Paris 2024 Olympics is fading fast, just one week into the event. Enoh, who anticipated not only medals but also a controversy-free experience, is now facing frustration.

As a newcomer to the sports sector, Enoh had hoped to use his early tenure to learn and start fresh. Upon taking office, he declared that it would no longer be "business as usual" for Nigerian sports. However, he was unprepared for the complexities and recurring issues within the sector.

Nigeria's Olympic history is marked by a mix of successes and failures, with scandals and administrative mishaps being a constant theme. For example, during the 1980 Moscow Olympics, a sex scandal involving Team Nigeria made headlines, despite later being debunked. This false report still affected the athletes' performance, resulting in a medal-less return.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics saw more scandals, including the disqualification of ten Nigerian athletes due to doping violations. This was a result of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria's (AFN) failure to properly guide athletes on doping regulations. High-profile athletes like Blessing Okagbare, Divine Oduduru, and Grace Nwokocha faced bans due to doping infractions.

Additionally, the Tokyo Games were marred by a controversy over team uniforms. A photo showed athletes in mismatched attire, including one official wearing an Arsenal jersey. Videos from the event revealed athletes wearing various brands, highlighting the disorganization.

The most striking incident involved Nigerian shot putter Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, who was seen washing his only jersey before his final event, underscoring the logistical failures of the Nigerian officials.