Lessons From The 2024 Olympics

The 2024 Summer Olympics held in Paris, France, from July 26 to August 11, 2024, making it the third time Paris has hosted the Summer Games since 1900 and 1924. The Games featured 32 sports and 329 events, with the introduction of new sports like breaking (breakdancing), along with the return of sports like surfing, skateboarding, and sport climbing, which were popular in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Many events held at iconic Parisian landmarks including beach volleyball which took place at the Eiffel Tower, and equestrian events at the Palace of Versailles. One of the goals of Paris 2024 is to be the most sustainable Olympics ever, with a focus on reducing carbon emissions and using existing or temporary venues. The opening ceremony was very unique and held along the Seine River instead of in a traditional stadium with athletes parading on boats down the river, with an estimated 600,000 spectators watching from the banks.

Over 10,000 athletes from around the world competed, with nearly equal numbers of men and women, marking a major step towards gender equality in the Olympics. The men and women who graced the 2024 Paris Olympics as athletes in their respective fields are the real champions with or without medals. The world needs to celebrate their courage and resilience in the face of personal sacrifice and physical exertion that mark such competitions.

A Celebration of Culture, Strength and Courage

Despite some of the initial religious sentiments about the opening ceremony, the Games portrayed a unique blend of tradition, innovation, and a celebration of sport in the heart of one of the world’s most iconic cities. Concerns, particularly from religious groups, due to the unconventional nature of the event regarding the opening ceremony been held along the Seine River rather than in a traditional stadium setting, raised several points of contention.

The decision to hold the ceremony on the Seine River, a significant and historical landmark, drew attention because of its symbolic nature. Some religious groups expressed concern about mixing of secular and potentially spiritual symbolism and pointed at certain elements of the ceremony that could be interpreted as religious or spiritual.

Overall, while the ceremony aimed to be a celebration of global unity and diversity, it had to confront and navigate the complexities of religious sensitivities in a way that honours the spirit of the Olympics without alienating or offending different faith communities. Whether that was achieved eventually is a different matter altogether. For now, we celebrate those came, saw and conquered despite all the hurdles thy gad to face.

Identity Crisis?

Curiously, another aspect of the 2024 Paris Olympics that generated much controversy was around the nationalities of athletes particularly from Nigeria. These athletes would have gladly played for Nigeria if things were right with the sports officials responsible for fielding them.

Salwa Eid Nasser (Ebele Agbapuonwu) from Anambra state won Silver for Bahrain in the 400 meters at the Olympics in Paris. She left Nigeria for Bahrain in 2014 having failed to secure the right support from AFN to compete and has excelled since then. Yemisi Ogunleye born in Germany to a Nigerian father from Omuo Ekiti and a German mother, won the first gold medal for Germany in the Shot Put category at the Olympics and even celebrated her victory with a Yoruba song.

Annette Echikunwoke was born and raised in Ohio by Nigerian parents but switched allegiance back to the USA after she was deemed ineligible to represent Nigeria in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. She won silver in the Hammer Throw while Samu Omorodion, born in Melilla, Spain to Nigerian parents, helped Spain win gold in the Men’s Football Event.

There were a few bright spots, such as the D’Tigress basketball team reaching the quarterfinals, and long jumpers Ese Brume, Ruth Usoro, Prestina Ochonogor making it to the finals, Odunayo Adekuoroye and Adijat Olarinoye, prominent freestyle wrestlers, who have won multiple medals at World Championships and Commonwealth Games and Elizabeth Anyanacho in Taekwondo, who competed in Tokyo 2020.

Sadly, despite their best efforts, none of the athletes from team Nigeria won any medals in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Many have attributed part of this shortcoming to the failings of the Athletics Federation of Nigerian (AFN) and the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC).

For Fame and Country

Nigerian athletes faced a challenging time at the Paris 2024 Olympics, failing to secure any medals despite high expectations from the 88 athletes who competed in 12 sports. This disappointing outcome has drawn widespread criticism and highlighted various issues within Nigeria’s sports administration.

One of the key points of criticism has been the mismanagement of athletes and lack of adequate preparation, which severely impacted the athletes’ performances including Tobi Amusan, the world record holder in the 100m hurdles, who did not reach the finals, and the Super Falcons, Nigeria’s celebrated women’s football team, failed to win a single match during the preliminary rounds.

Systemic issues such as poor leadership, bureaucracy, corruption, lack of accountability, and inadequate support for athletes are the primary reasons for the country’s underwhelming performance. The situation has sparked calls for a complete overhaul of Nigeria’s sports administration to better prepare for future competitions ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

So, while Team Nigeria will be returning home without medals from the Paris 2024 Olympics, athletes of Nigerian origin made their mark on the global stage, winning four medals for their adopted countries similar to those won at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games. This situation underscores the need for critical investment in sports infrastructure and development programs as well as an enabling environment to nurture and feature the best talent.

Nigeria has been competing at the Olympics for 71 years without adequate investments in the sports. Countries like USA won 40 Gold 44 Silver and 42 Bronze while China won 40 Gold. Nigerian athletes competing for other countries is a trend influenced by a combination of factors, including better opportunities, financial incentives, and frustrations with the sports administration.

Athletes face inadequate funding, poor training facilities, and a lack of proper support from sports federations making it difficult for them to reach their full potential. In contrast, countries with better resources and support systems offer athletes the opportunity to train in world-class facilities, receive professional coaching, and access better healthcare.

Competing for countries with stronger sports programs often comes with significant financial benefits like scholarships, sponsorships, stipends, and performance bonuses that are far more substantial than what Nigerian athletes typically receive. The promise of financial stability and the ability to focus solely on their athletic careers is a strong motivator. Others have dual citizenship or are eligible for it, often because they were born abroad or have one parent from another country allowing them to represent a different country in international competitions.

Nigerian athletes often express frustration over delayed payments, lack of transparency, and poor treatment, which sometimes leads them to seek better-managed programs in other countries. In some cases, athletes choose to compete for other countries because they believe they have a higher chance of qualifying for major international competitions or winning medals. Others move abroad on sports scholarships, particularly to the USA or Europe where they feel more appreciated without the bureaucratic hurdles that hinder their performance.

The problem with corruption and ineptitude is that it affects everything. Nothing is spared including health, education or sports, everything is corrupted. If something is not done fast, Nigeria risks a worse fate at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.