Ex-AFN Boss Bemoans Foreign Athletics Coaches

A former President of the
Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Dan Ngerem, has criticised the employment of two Americans as national high performance coaches, by the National Sports Commission (NSC).
Ngerem told newsmen in Dakar on the sidelines of the ongoing congress of the International Sports Press (AIPS) that the decision to engage the Americans was premature.
“Why hire two Americans and then pay them in dollars when in a World Indoor Championship you’ve not given one kobo to the athletes that represented the country.
“The coaching crew, you have not supported them. The athletes you have not been giving scholarships to. Those in America you’ve not supported them.
“So, I went ahead, and wrote a strategic document pointing out to Nigerians that we have a bilateral relationship with Cuba; we have a bilateral relationship with Germany.
“We could have utilised those vehicles, where Cuba, who we are richer than give us technical assistance.
“They were the ones that raised the Chioma Ajunwas, Mary Onyalis, Falilat Ogunkoya. Why don’t we use that vehicle which will cost us practically nothing to bring up our younger athletes?
“Why start at the top by hiring two Americans. I have nothing against the Americans, Angela Tailor and the other one.
“But, they should come when we have done the needful;, when we have done our homework and discovered those athletes.’’
Ngerem said that those at the helm of sports were only after the development of football, adding that they had not done enough to help other sports to grow.
“We have only had ‘ministers of football’, there is no support for any other sport that I can see. There is also no policy framework. There is also no marketing interface with those that love sports.
“I would like to give money to athletes if I know what the problems are; but what I see is a situation where everybody is waiting for government money.
“We have Commonwealth Games this year. I don’t think there has been one kobo of support.
“But the Federal Ministry of Sports, paid 900,000 dollars to people that went to CHAN, a pseudo competition that CAF is using to raise money that is meant for local players.
“900,000d dollars would have gone a very long way in supporting our athletes that will win us laurels at the Commonwealth Games.
“So, what you find now is an atmosphere of total lack of support. No funding, we are waiting for government money.
“As far as I am concerned, we should postpone this Commonwealth Games and use the money to plan for the next one; use the money to plan for 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.
“This is because what we are going to do now is to go and again rely on our athletes with the so-called Nigerian spirit.’’
Ngerem said the NCS should change its attitude towards other sports if the country would maximize its potential in sports.