Athletes disqualification: Administrators were busy fighting over power, says Okagbare by Segun Adewole

Nigerian athlete Blessing Okagbare has said that the sport system in Nigeria is flawed and that athletes are always at the receiving end of the damages. Lamenting that athletes are being neglected, Okagbare said those who are not passionate about sports should not handle the administrative positions. She said this after some Nigerian athletes were disqualified from competing in the Tokyo Olympics for failing to undergo mandatory tests ahead of the global sports event. According to her, “I have said it before and I will say it again. If you do not know the sport, not passionate about it/us (the athletes), then you have no business there as an administrator. The sport system in Nigeria is so flawed and we athletes are always at the receiving end of the damages. “They were busy fighting over power, exercising their pride over puma contract/ kits forgetting their major responsibility “THE ATHLETES”. It’s sad that this cycle keeps repeating its self and some people will come out to say I am arrogant for speaking my truth. It is my CAREER.” Okagbare is, however, not among the athletes disqualified from the Tokyo Olympics. The names omitted from the competition by the International Olympic Committee include Knowledge Omovoh, Ruth Usoro, Favor Ofili, Rosemary Chukwuma, Glory Patrick, Yinka Ajayi, Tima Godbless, Chidi Okezie, Chioma Onyekwere and Annette Echikunwoke.