Minister for Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung has charged the technical departments of Sports Federations taking part in the forthcoming Olympic Games in Rio to maximize team spirit in their quest to achieve success at the games.
The Minister gave the charge when he met with coaches and secretaries of the five federations whose athletes are in camp in Abuja ahead of the games.
He said that whatever success the federations would achieve at the games will be determined by their contributions and commitments to the athletes.
“As members of the technical team, you’re the backbone of whatever results we may expect from our participation in the Olympics which will also be determined by your commitment. Despite financial challenges being experienced, we are doing our best to ensure that your basic needs are provided. Apart from giving the technical aspect of training, you also need to build psychological stability among the athletes in terms of trying to comfort, guarantee and encourage participation and training.
I will also like you to embrace team spirit. Team spirit means that nobody can make it alone. You require the contribution of everybody. Nobody should be left out because it is the sum total of everybody’s contribution that brings about victory”.
Dalung also called on the coaches not to influence the athletes’ use of performance enhancing drugs due to pressure to win medals at the games.
“If we can’t bring medals, let us bring back our name. Doping is now a very serious offense internationally. It is very crucial to monitor athletes through constant visitation at the games village and working out a template for feeding to avoid Doping”.
At the meeting, the President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee Habu Gumel also emphasized the need to shun the use of drugs to enhance performance.
“You are in a very good position to make the country proud by looking after your athletes and giving them the necessary training to ensure that you excel in Rio. You heard what is happening in Kenya, Russia and other countries and I’m happy to say that Nigeria is not involved in any of these scandals. You’re the ones to guide and monitor your athletes but don’t influence them and damage the image of the country because you want to win medals at all cost” Gumel advised.
In his response, Track and field coach Gabriel Okon called on the Minister to assist the Athletics Federation of Nigeria to send its athletes to the African Championships coming up in Durban South Africa in a fortnight.
“This competition is very important for us so that we can prepare very well for the Olympics. It will also give us the opportunity to have more qualifiers for the Olympics.” Okon pleaded.
The wrestling Coach, Damian Ohaike also confirmed the qualification of seven wrestlers for the games. Ohaike said that other countries were now in competition stages outside their place of abode. He called on the Minister to facilitate a training/competition in Canada and Spain.
“These competitions are very important because these places are where athletes have already qualified. The world champions will be in those competitions. Their sparing partners no longer give them the challenge hence the need for them to attend competitions with those who will be at the Olympics” said Ohaike.
Dalung promised to raise funds to ensure that Nigerian athletes attend the African Championships in Durban and assured that if funds were made available, the wrestling team will also go for competitions abroad.
The minister also charged ministry officials to be more professional in their duties to stop the trend of Nigerian athletes adopting countries in Europe to represent them in sports.
The meeting was attended by coaches and secretaries of Athletics, Para athletics, wrestling, weightlifting and para powerlifting
