Nigeria already late with preparations for Tokyo 2020 Olympics – Galadima

Former Chairman of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), and current Chairman of the Kano State Sport Commission, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima, has averred that Nigeria’s preparations for the 2020 Olympics is already coming late.

He posited that the performance of Nigeria at the just-concluded Rio Olympics was below expectation, noting that it was occasioned by late or no adequate preparations and late release of funds.

He observed, “In my opinion, we went to Rio, enjoyed the carnival and came back but I disagreed with those who completely put the entire blames on the Minister who came on board barely few months before the Rio games.”

According to Galadima, who addressed sport writers at a media parley at the ongoing 2nd edition of the National Youth Games‎ holding in Ilorin Kwara state, “For preparations for Tokyo 2020, we are already late in terms of preparations.”

On the running of sport in Nigeria, he stressed the need for Nigeria to avoid appointing people who knows little or nothing about sports as Ministers, just as he frowned at the frequency of changing sports ministers as one of the major factors affecting sports development in the country.

He said, “Since 1999 to date, Nigeria have had not less than 14 minister of sports, appointing people who have nothing to do with sports as ministers is one of the challenge in the sporting sector.”

On the youth games, he lauded the idea of resuscitating the games which is aimed at talent discovery, but stressed the ultimate need for its sustainability.