Concerns are mounting over Nigeria’s preparations for the Commonwealth Games after respected athletics coach Olalekan Soetan openly questioned the decision to camp home-based athletes ahead of the competition.
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With the nation gearing up for one of its major international outings, Soetan has raised doubts about the effectiveness of the current selection approach, arguing that it may not reflect the realities of Nigeria’s athletics strength.
According to him, the decision to focus on athletes based in Nigeria could limit the country’s chances of success, particularly in individual events where foreign-based athletes have traditionally dominated.
“The best athletes are mostly abroad,” he pointed out, suggesting that those competing internationally often have access to better facilities, training, and competition, factors that give them a significant edge.
Soetan also revealed that the technical committee was not consulted before the decision to camp athletes was made, a move he believes undermines proper planning and coordination.
“If we were involved, we would have advised differently,” he implied, highlighting concerns about decision-making processes within the system.
The coach warned that many of the home-based athletes being prepared may not even feature prominently in individual events, raising questions about the overall strategy and objectives behind the camp.
His comments have sparked a broader debate about how Nigeria selects and prepares athletes for major competitions.
While promoting home-based talent is important for development, critics argue that performance at international events should remain the top priority, and that requires selecting the best available athletes, regardless of where they are based.
For Soetan, the issue is not about dismissing local talent, but about ensuring that decisions are made with competitiveness in mind.
As the Commonwealth Games approach, the spotlight will now be on how Nigeria balances development with performance, and whether the current strategy will deliver the desired results.
Because in global athletics, preparation is everything.
And as Soetan’s concerns suggest, getting it wrong could come at a cost.
