Olympic Failure: Sack Sports Administrators –Chukwumerije

Senator Uche Chukwumerije has called for sanctions against
all the people responsible for the country’s failure to win medals at the
just-concluded 2012 London Olympic Games.

Chukwumerije, who was reacting to the failure of Team
Nigeria to win medals at the Games told newsmen in London that what had happed
in London was a “national shame”.

He said the country must act to check the tradition of
impunity in the country that whatever
happened should be forgotten because “it is God’s wish and must not be
stopped”.

“If Nigeria had gotten one single gold medal, they would
have been bloating and rejoicing.

“In the same way, when we fail, they should be punished
because they are the people at the head. And so, all those at the head of
sporting authorities from the minister to the head of the ministry should be
sacked.

“This will serve as a deterrent to others so that they know
that in Nigeria there must be a reward or punishment for role performance.

“We should get somebody, who will help us to get the
requirement for each event. What is the pattern and level of skills wanted to
for each event and we will know what to do.”

According to him, a situation where Nigeria appears helpless
is not in the best interest of the development of sports.

Tidesports source reports that the results from the Games
concluded on Sunday was reminiscent of the failure at the 1988 Seoul Olympic
Games in South Korea where the country failed to win a single medal.

This was a direct opposite of the best the country achieved
at the 1996 Games at the Atlanta Games, where the country finished with two
gold medals – from athletics and football event.

Sports Minister, Bolaji Abdullahi, while admitting failure
at a news conference in London, described the predicament of Team Nigeria as a
clear testimony of the decline in Nigerian sports.

He said, however, that Nigeria should learn lessons from the
failure instead of giving excuses.

“We shall, therefore, not attempt any excuses or indulge in
any unproductive blame game. We must not see this as a failure; we must see it
as an opportunity to rebuild.