“Help me get to the Olympics,” was the desperate plea of Nigerian Olympic medalist, Regina George, on her GoFundMe campaign page last week. The popular athlete launched the campaign in order to raise $4000 to be able to represent Nigeria for the second time at the Olympic Games, after winning a silver medal in 2012. George cited the short notice from the government, who asked them to sponsor their trip themselves and a difficult financial year, as reasons for her urgent need of assistance. Fortunately for George, she received immediate support from sympathisers, and her target was met in two days, with $300 to spare.

Donators and supporters commented on George’s campaign page, expressing their sadness over her unanticipated predicament, and their disappointment in the Nigerian government. The situation was labelled shameful, with one commenter even suggesting that she represent another country if she can, because Nigeria does not deserve her. This is not a new suggestion to Nigerian athletes, given the stagnant and largely limited athletic climate in the country.

Unfortunately, George is one of several athletes in the middle of a financial tight spot this year. With less than two weeks to the Olympic Games in Brazil this year, George and a host of other Nigerian athletes reportedly received an email from the Federal Ministry of Sports asking them to fly themselves to Rio because the government can not afford to pay for their tickets this time. The email – which came days after President Muhammadu Buhari met a group of athletes and assured them of sponsorship – also promised to reimburse athletes who complied.

Shortly after, Nigerian athletes, including Regina George and Segun Ogunlewe Jnr, took to various forums on the internet, using #HelpNigerianAthletes to ask for support and assistance from Nigerians and corporate organisations. In one video that went viral, Nigerian athletes lamented that their situation was so deplorable, they hadn’t eaten for three days. The unsettling email was soon leaked to the public, and the government came under serious criticism.

On Saturday, the statement was withdrawn by the sports ministry which denied sending the email and asked the athletes involved, as well as the general public, to ignore its contents. The Minister for Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, further stated that the origin of the dubious email would be investigated by the ministry. A fresh statement was issued on the same day saying that the athletes’ tickets to Rio would in fact be bought and paid for, and issued to them at their different locations. With that, the matter seems to have been resolved.

Yet, whether or not the Nigerian government sent that demoralising email to our athletes, or the not eating for three days comment is a bit hyperbolic, the embarrassing discourse on ground resonates a gnawing issue in the world of Nigerian sports that resurfaces whenever a big sporting event is impending and which seems unworthy of proper address.

Since then, Nigerians have been reacting to the unpleasant development with the athletes. For most part, the fact that renowned Nigerian athletes like George were led to a point where they had to publicly source for funds says the worst about governance in Nigeria, and where the country is heading in general. Agitated commenters on Facebook opined that if the government could not support the sports sector of the Nigerian economy financially, then they shouldn’t grant pilgrimage funds either.

A more ‘jovial’ set of Nigerians made half-hearted jokes about the plight of the athletes begging for support so openly, while their peers in Cuba were getting dressed by top designers, including high end footwear designer brand Christian Louboutin. And while others empathised with the athletes, they didn’t necessarily think that the government should be hung out to dry because they asked athletes to fend for themselves.

To support the latter argument, examples of how other athletes and teams in countries such as the United States sponsor their careers were cited. According to the article How Olympians Make a Living on the US website Sports Management Degree Hub, the top five richest American Olympians support their careers through private investments and endorsements.

Funding Olympic athletes is certainly a bottleneck in some countries around the world, but many more do, in fact, receive support from their governments, financially and morally. In the case of the US, sports is an inextricably invaluable part of their upbringing and academics. Every year, hundreds of thousands of Americans are able to afford their education through scholarships from bodies such as the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), or from their sporting abilities getting noticed. Therefore, the structure of the American government already makes a significant effort at providing athletes or potential ones with a pretty solid foundation to take off from, as well as hope for the future.

Sadly, the Nigerian government, on its part, is lacking in both the financial and morale-boosting areas. Other than when football is involved (a sport which is in a state itself), the only times that sports make the headlines is when there’s a big event around the corner. And even then, it is oftentimes with one controversy or another, as in the case of George and her colleagues. The United Kingdom, Indonesia, China, and Korea are clear examples of countries whose governments are well invested in the affairs of their Olympic athletes, with the last two even going as far as providing pensions for their athletes after they retire.

Therefore, it is no wonder that ‘abandoning ship’ for better sporting opportunities in other countries, or not even getting involved with the sporting system here in the first place, is common practice with Nigerian athletes. Regina George represents a section of Nigerian athletes – with dual citizenship – who could have made it in other countries, but chose to ‘return’ and represent their fatherland. A land that barely supports their passion, speak less of making opportunities available to nurture it.

Kemi Adekoya, Chijindu Ujah, and Emmanuel Olisadebe, are a few of the many talents that Nigeria has either lost to other countries that have ‘adopted’ them, or could not convince to return home to represent the country. Mostly as a result of of the overall lackadaisical attitude towards sports in Nigeria. Especially with respect to Olympics. Even if Nigeria is not in a financially secure place to support its budding and famous athletes, it does attempt not make up for it through other means.

Stadiums throughout Nigeria are filled with superbly talented athletes who can someday win Olympic gold medals for the country, however limited they are with categories. Until sports truly becomes part and parcel of the Nigerian society and culture, starting from the earliest stages, Nigeria seems sentenced to continue struggling with funding and representation at significant global sporting events.

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