The Sun News On-line

The knotty issue of non-release of training grants by the Sports Ministry to the Beijing Olympics-bound athletes has been described as the last straw that would deal a deadly blow to Nigeria’s chances of winning gold medals in China.

Africa’s fastest man, Olusoji Fasuba, is seeking to become the first man to win three 100m titles back-to-back in the history of African Athletics Championship, having qualified for the final of the Championship taking place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. But former president of Track and Field Association of Nigeria (TAFAN), Adu Uruemu, has however, expressed fears that Nigeria might not re-enact the feat at the Beijing Olympics if the grants meant for athletes’ preparations were not released immediately.

Uruemu, an athletics coach and former West African Universities Games specialist in both 100m and 200m, insisted that Nigeria might be heading for another jamboree at the Beijing Games considering the confusion and furore the grant issue had caused among athletes.

"Of course, I’m very happy with Fasuba’s exploits at the African Athletics Championship in Addis Ababa, but if you ask me, I would say that athletics is at standstill in Nigeria," Uruemu stated matter-of-factly.
"There is confusion in the athletics circle. The ministry has not lived up to expectation. Training grants meant for athletes have not been released, yet we are talking about being at the Olympics in the next three months.

"There are a lot of misnomer in the system in the sense that athletes’ preparations are supposed to be the responsibility of the Nigerian Olympics Committee (NOC). The body is supposed to be responsible for the training and accreditation of athletes and they should do it in conjunction with the various sports associations. But today, the Sports Ministry has abdicated that responsibility. This is why much bureaucracy has taken over the order of doing things, thereby causing delay in the release of athletes’ grants.

"The ministry is not supposed to interfere in All Africa Games and Olympic matters. It is the sole responsibility of the NOC to take care of those sporting events. The NOC should be the one to bring the finances through corporate bodies, because these bodies trust them more than the ministry.
"I must tell you, we are going for another Olympic jamboree in Beijing, except the right things are done fast. Grants should be released now to the athletes who can do us proud. People like Fasuba, Osayemi, Idoko, Isaac et al should be equipped immediately.

"We should disregard bureaucracy now and ensure that grants are released immediately for our athletes to do well like their counterparts from other parts of the world. Some of these athletes have been doing well at different meets based on personal efforts, not that the ministry is really doing something positive.

"Our problem in the country is that we do not support developmental programmes. We do not have sports policy either. Development entails three things, first, identify budding talents, secondly, support them technically, morally and financially, and lastly, nurturing them to grow from one grade to another.
"Here, we tend to identify talents, but we do not support them and more so, we fail to nurture them. Call these athletes and they will tell you that they got to where they are today by dint of their own hard work, not by the effort of the Sports Ministry. That’s why they are not responsible to the ministry whether they win or lose. Of course, they would always want to win because they want to enhance their social status and that of their families.

"For us to succeed, there must be a concerted and deliberate effort by the various sporting associations, the NOC and the Sports Ministry, including corporate bodies to help put these aforementioned problems in order. If we really want a reasonable sports development in this country, we must have a long-term programme," Uruemu added.