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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Sports

Nigerian athletes decry neglect, demand action from Athletics Federation

From The Punch · (7m ago) English Critical tone

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Nigerian track and field athletes are protesting alleged neglect, inconsistent competition structures, and inadequate funding from the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).
  • The AFN's attempt to revive the Golden League stalled after its first leg, with subsequent events canceled without explanation, leaving athletes frustrated and awaiting payments.
  • Grassroots athletes report that the lack of regular competitions is hindering their development and causing mental strain, widening the gap with international counterparts.

The Punch newspaper highlights a growing crisis within Nigerian athletics, as athletes voice strong grievances against the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN). Their complaints paint a grim picture of neglect, characterized by a lack of consistent competitions and insufficient financial support, which they argue is stifling talent development at a crucial stage.

The stalled revival of the AFN Golden League serves as a potent symbol of these systemic issues. While the initial leg in Benin City offered promising prize money, the subsequent cancellations of events in Lagos and Abuja/Kaduna without any official communication have deepened athletes' frustration. Many are still awaiting payments from the single completed event, fueling a perception that domestic competitions are not a priority for the federation.

Here in Nigeria, I have only competed twice this year, and it is really affecting me. Unlike the athletes abroad, they have been competing since last year indoors, and this year they have started competing outdoors as well.

— Janet AadesiyanA sprinter describes the negative impact of the lack of competitions on her training and development compared to athletes in other countries.

This situation disproportionately affects grassroots athletes, who are struggling to maintain training and development due to the unpredictable competition calendar. As sprinter Janet Aadesiyan points out, the limited opportunities in Nigeria starkly contrast with the structured indoor and outdoor seasons available to athletes abroad. This disparity not only impacts performance but also creates significant psychological pressure, especially when parents view the pursuit of athletics as a 'waste of time' without tangible results.

The athletes' calls for urgent reforms underscore a critical need for the AFN to address these fundamental challenges. Their plea is not just for more competitions, but for a structured, supportive environment that allows Nigerian talent to flourish on both domestic and international stages. The current trajectory, they warn, risks losing a generation of athletes to disillusionment and lack of opportunity.

AFN should please organise competitions. We know they are trying and doing their best to put things in place, but most of us do not have much time in chasing our dreams because our parents see it as a waste of time when there are no results.

— Janet AadesiyanA sprinter pleads with the AFN to organize more competitions, highlighting the pressure from parents due to the lack of results.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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