AFN board member, Prof Anugweje decries poor preparations for Rio Olympics

• Olympic day run holds in Port Harcourt

The Director of Sports, University of Port Harcourt, and board member of the Athletics Federation of Nigerian (AFN), Prof. Ken Anugweje has said that Nigeria is witnessing poor preparations for the Rio Olympic Games because of late appointment of Sports Minister and approval of budget.

Anugweje, who spoke yesterday shortly after the Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Ndowa Lale championed the Olympic Day Run on campus, said that the poor preparation might be Team Nigeria ‘s greatest undoing in Rio.

He stressed that he does not have much hope as regards the performance of athletes except in wrestling and athletics where he is expecting some ‘flashes of brilliance.’

“I must tell you that our preparations have not been the best. You know it took some time before ministers were appointed and budget was not approved on time, so I think these two factors have had a devastating effect on our preparation. To be honest, I don’t have much hope as regards our performance in Rio, but I expect some flashes from our wrestlers and maybe one or two athletes in track and field, but in the other sports, I am not really sure,” Anugweje stated.

He described the Olympic Day Run as a day set aside to observe the values of the Olympic. “The Olympic Day Run is usually set aside to promote the values of the Olympic, which includes hard work, fair play, gallantry in defeat and humility in victory, friendship and also to inculcate the habit of healthy leaving exercise.

“Every year, June 23rd is celebrated as the Olympic day to coincide with the date the Olympic Movement was founded in 1894 and the day the International Olympic Committee came into existence in 1948. But in Nigeria, the event held one week after, across major cities,” Prof. Anugweje stated.