Joe Apu

Secretary General of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Babatunde Popoola has said that Nigerian athletes have no excuse not to perform well at the Commonwealth Games billed for Gold Coast, Australia in April.

Popoola is basing his confidence on the camping programme the sports ministry has planned for the athletes noting that some camps had commenced in the late part of 2017 and coupled with the fact that the athletes would also be in camp in Australia for a month before the Games.

“I see Nigeria doing well in Australia in this year’s Commonwealth Games. In a very long time, the athletes have not had a long period of camping like this. I believe spending a month in Australia acclimatizing would be of immense help to them psychologically.

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“After visiting the camping facilities where the athletes will train, I was convinced that they would have no choice than to give their best by winning medals for the country. They have a lot to benefit in preparing for the Games as they would lack nothing. I commend the sports ministry for the arrangement. If the athletes fail to perform, then it would be their fault. They have everything at their disposal to make them perform, he stated.

Nigeria would be participating in nine sports at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia. NOC President, Habu Gumel in an elaborate press conference held at the SWAN Secretariat, National Stadium, Lagos last week listed the sports as Athletics, Boxing, Basketball, Table Tennis, Weightlifting and Wrestling. Others include Para-Athletics, Para-Powerlifting and Para-Table Tennis. Said he, He confirmed that Nigerian athletes would be glad with the facilities. “Much as a lot still needs to be done, I must attest that all is set for yet another glorious outing for our contingent in Gold Coast, Australia noting that earlier camping in Abuja, Lagos and Port-Harcourt had taken care of the first phase.

“With this plan in place, we will be returning from Gold Coast with far better results at the Commonwealth Games than previously,” he said.