Nigeria taekwondo team fails to qualify for Rio 2016 Olympics

For the first time in many years, the Nigerian Taekwondo team will not be competing at the Rio 2016 Olympics. Reason: The four taekwondo athletes that represented the country at the African qualifiers lost in the semifinals and therefore missed out on the tickets to Rio.

African Champion, Uzoamaka Otuadinma, and African Games silver medallist, Chinazum Nwosu, both marginally lost to Moroccan opponents, while Edwin Samson lost to a Senegalese through a second round stoppage via kick to mouth.

Earlier, Jamilu Mohammed had been disqualified for being overweight in the men’s -58kg. Finalists in each weight category are expected to qualify automatically for the Olympics.

To berth in the semifinal, Samson beat athletes from Togo and Algeria, while Nwosu defeated an Ethiopian and Otuadinma beat an athlete from Swaziland.

Having featured in the last three Olympics in Athens, Beijing and London, Nigeria will be conspicuously missing in action at the Rio Olympics Games in Brazil.

Nigeria won a bronze medal at the Beijing 2008 Games through Chika Chukwumerije, but officials of the taekwondo federation said the country was unable to qualify for Rio 2016 because the team was neglected by the authorities.

An official, who pleaded anonymity, told The Guardian that preparing for the qualifiers was a “Herculean task because we were not assisted with the required funds by the National Sports Commission.

“Our athletes tried their best but when you do not prepare adequately, you cannot expect good results. We had two athletes who on their own right are African champions, but they could not prepare very well for the qualifiers and so they failed to make it.

“We are grateful to the Korean Embassy and some individuals for their support, but we are not happy with the way the NSC is treating other sports in this Olympic year.”