In what has been a disappointing conclusion to the 2024 Paris Olympics for Team Nigeria, the country has finished the games without winning a single medal.
This marks Nigeria’s worst performance in the Olympics since the 2012 London Games.
The final hope for Nigeria to secure a medal rested on Hannah Reuben, who competed in the women’s freestyle wrestling 76kg category.
Unfortunately, Reuben lost her second-round match, falling 5-2 on points to Mongolia’s Davaanasan Amar Enkh.
With this defeat, the last chance for Nigeria to earn a medal slipped away, ending the country’s Olympic campaign without any podium finishes.
The 2024 Olympics have proven to be a challenging and disheartening experience for Nigerian sports.
The absence of medals highlights a significant departure from the more successful outings of previous years.
This year’s performance has sparked concern among sports officials, athletes, and fans alike, as it starkly contrasts with the achievements of the past.
Although critics agree that Nigerian athletes, generally, did their best to make their nation proud, their potential was hobbled by limited resources, poor incentives and poor organisation.
Reacting to Nigeria’s disastrous outing, the Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Senator John Enoh, said, “As we go back home we must do everything to prevent future occurrence of the Paris disaster and if this will entail the review of how people are elected to lead our sporting Federations, it will be done.
“The elections for the federations are by the corner, and it will be the perfect platform to get only those who are most eligible to lead the various sports federations.
“Team Nigeria’s disappointing performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where the country did not secure any medals does not entail being addressed just by our participation at the Olympics, but it is a product of very many other things that need immediate attention.”
Nigeria’s last notable Olympic performance was in 2016 at the Rio de Janeiro Games, where the country secured a total of 2 silver and 1 bronze medal.
The 2012 London Olympics also saw a more respectable outcome with Nigeria winning a silver and a bronze.
However, the results from Paris 2024 have raised serious questions about the state of sports development and preparation in Nigeria.
One key issue that has been identified is the lack of adequate preparation and support for athletes. Many Nigerian athletes have voiced their concerns about the insufficient funding, training facilities, and resources available to them.
The stark contrast between Nigeria’s performance and that of other countries highlights the urgent need for reform in how sports are managed and funded.
In a possible attempt to preempt criticisms about poor preparation, the minister said, “We did everything as a Ministry to prepare the athletes adequately and provide them with every financial support but unfortunately the performance did not produce any podium finish.”
Analysts have said that building a competitive sports culture requires a collective effort from government bodies, sports organizations, and the private sector.
Investment in youth sports programs, creating opportunities for young athletes, and fostering a supportive environment for talent development are essential components of this process.
