The House of Representatives urges the Sports Committee to conduct a thorough investigation into the factors contributing to the poor performance of the Nigerian national team at the 2024 Paris Olympics and recommend short- and long-term reforms to prevent a repeat of such disappointing results. I instructed him to do so.
The House also resolved to consider the appropriate use of funds allocated for the preparation of teams and their participation in the event.
This was a sequel to the adoption of a motion tabled by Mr. Adedayo Olumuyiwa on the need to investigate the abysmal performance of the Nigerian team at the just-concluded Paris Olympics.
Olumuyiwa, who led the discussion, said the failure of Nigeria’s team at the 2024 Olympics was widespread.
He wondered why the Nigerian team was still performing so badly despite the huge budget of over 12 billion Naira proposed by the Minister of Sports and provided by the President.
He expressed concern that despite such support and assurances from the Minister of Sports, the Nigerian team returned home empty-handed without winning a single medal in all the sporting activities they participated in.
Mr. Olumuyiwa called for less emphasis on tournament preparations and more on the long-term development of the sport in the country.
He proposed an overhaul of sports in Nigeria and that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should establish a commission dedicated to the development of sports in the country.
The lawmaker also called for a special committee to investigate the performance of the Nigerian team, the budget implementation of the Nigerian team, and other past failures in past Olympics by former Nigerian teams, and to suggest practical solutions and courses of action. proposed a structure.
In his contribution, Kabir Ahmad proposed an amendment calling for the motion to be called the House Standing Committee on Sports, rather than being constituted as a special committee.
The motion was voted on, adopted as amended, and referred to the House Sports Committee.
Latefa Ibrahim
