The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN FCT Chapter rose from its Congress on Thursday, calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to probe the late arrival of the Olympic Contingents kits during the just concluded Rio Olympic Games.
While discussing the way forward for Nigerian sports, SWAN also called on the Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, to take full responsibility for the abysmal performance of Team Nigeria in Rio.
In the same vein, the body opined that the ‘Atlanata saga’ should be probed with a view to guiding against future occurrence.
The communiqué issed at the end of the Congress and signed by the Chairman, Communiqué Drafting Committee, Mike Oboh reads:
- It was agreed that the country performed dismally at the just concluded 2016 Rio Olympics and called on the Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung who believed Nigeria was prepared for the Olympics to take full responsibility for the failure.
- The congress also agreed that the Presidency should probe the delayed arrival of the Olympic Contingents kits to Brazil after seven Officials of the ministry were in China for the purchase of the Kits. The congress further notes that if Kenya with 13 medals comprising 6 gold, 6 silver and 1 bronze won at the Games could still prosecute some of her Officials for misdeeds at the Olympics for minor offences by the Kenyan government, the Nigerian government should unearth the Atlanta Saga alongside the Kits embarrassment at Rio.
- The body agreed that the country should be looking beyond Tokyo 2020 and prepare for the 2024 Olympics with the bulk of Athletes who will be discovered in various National Youth Games with emphasis on the return of School Sports.
- The body also demands that the government give a policy direction on the role sports should play in National development as well as demands an investigation on why the National Sports Commission was scrapped few months to the Games.
- It was further agreed that for Nigeria to move forward, henceforth, federations’ elections should be given adequate attention by allowing only professionals to contest in various federations other than using it as political settlement.
- That the National Olympic Committee should also emulate their South African Counterparts who depend on corporate world for its participation in the Olympics rather than becoming an appendage of the government.
- National Sports Trust fund should be a profile for sports development as it has not been fully utilized for the good of sports in the country.
