Atlanta ’96 Olympic Games women’s long jump gold medalist, Chioma Ajunwa has described the recent defection of fast-rising female sprinter, Favour Ofili to Turkey as a ‘hard lesson’ for Nigeria.
Sports247 reports that, while acknowledging that it is a sad development for Nigerian athletics, Ajunwa pointed out that the country’s track and field officials should be blamed for what happened, considering how they twice dashed Ofili’s hopes of competing at the Olympic Games.
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Ajunwa posited, “It’s so pathetic, and it’s quite unfortunate that we are losing her from competing for Nigeria. But, to me personally, I think we caused what happened.
“One cannot train for an event for four years, hoping to compete, only to be somehow technically disqualified due to the mistake of somebody else. Another year again, yet another story … making two Olympics that she missed.”
The ex-athlete, who made her mark on the tracks despite being an active police officer, further admitted that Nigeria will miss Ofili and what she could offer the country in terms of glory, but added that she personally cannot question the sprinter’s decision.
She opined, “Personally, I won’t ask, ‘Why did she do that?’ We will feel that she is no longer going to compete for Nigeria. But, when you look at the whole thing, you would agree that she’s right in her decision.
“Who knows what will happen next? It’s quite unfortunate, but we need to learn a lesson. Unfortunately, we always learn the hard way, which is a very terrible thing.”
Ajunwa concluded with suggestions on the way forward and how to prevent a re-occurrence of the recent setback, tops of which she believes would be the introduction of better welfare conditions for Nigerian athletes from the sport’s governing body.
“Somebody like that, you will think in the next four years will do Nigeria proud at the Olympics, grand prix meets and other events. But today, Turkey has taken her.
“Until we know how to motivate athletes, until we know how to treat athletes well, this kind of thing will be a recurring decimal for Nigeria,” Ajunwa warned.
