Galadima: Football’s absence chance for other sports to shine at 2020 Olympics
As Nigerians continue to rue the failure of Nigeria’s national football teams, the Super Falcons (women) and U-23 (men) to qualify for the 2020 Olympics, a former Chairman of the then Nigeria Football Association, NFA, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima has challenged other sports federations to take up the challenge and shine at next year’s games in Tokyo.
Speaking to Daily Trust, the Patron of Nigeria Olympics Committee, NOC, regretted that the failure of the national football teams to qualify for the Olympics has underlined Nigeria’s steady decline in football.
He said “Once football is not there, people feel as if we are not there. So it is a big blow to our football.
“We have to take a holistic look at the entire sports structure to see how we can change things.
“The mindset has to change for everyone to know their responsibilities, if they are presidents of sports federations or other administrators. Ministry officials or so call stake holders must have a new orientation,” he advised.
Galadima therefore said as painful as the failure of the football teams to qualify is, other sports like weightlifting, wrestling and athletics should seize the opportunity to fly high the country’s fly at the 2020 Olympics.
He however lamented the failure of past governments to give adequate and timely financial support for sports federations’ preparations for major international competitions like the Olympics.
According to him, oftentimes, sports federations are left to run about cap in hand in search of funds to prepare their athletes for championships in and outside the country.
Yes football is not there so naturally we expect more from the other sports. It is opportunity for us to support other federations like wrestling, weightlifting to launder Nigeria’s image in Tokyo.
“However, it will be difficult if we do not change our usual practice of allowing sports federations to be running about in search of money.
“Although there are bound to be challenges, sports federations that will qualify must do something to ameliorate the pains of Nigerians following the failure of football to qualify for the 2020 Olympics,” he stated.