AFN Fair to Home-based Athletes, Says Ogba

Solomon Ogba

Duro Ikhazuagbe
The President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Chief Solomon Ogba, has insisted that Nigerian youths in the diasporas wishing to represent the country in track and field are not going to be denied the opportunities to do so long as they are eligible.

Reacting for the first time to the accusation leveled against the AFN by Blessing Okagbare of promoting the foreign -based athletes above those living in the country, Ogba dismissed such accusations as not tenable.

He also described as incorrect accusations in a section of the sporting media that the federation was neglecting athletes based in the country while at the same time supporting their counterparts based abroad.

Ogba, who led Team Nigeria’s track and field athletes to win a gold medal in the 4x200m event of the IAAF World Relays in Bahamas penultimate weekend, said that the board of the AFN since its inauguration in May 2013, has done more for the locally-based athletes than any other federation.

“This season alone, we have had three camps for athletes that participated in the African youth and junior championships and those that went for invitational relay in Kenya. We have also organised two competitions, the All Comers in Abuja and Lagos, apart from the DK Olukoya junior championships,” stressed the former Delta State sports commissioner.

Ogba revealed that though it is the responsibility of states athletics associations and athletic clubs to organise conditioning camps and prepare athletes for a new season, yet the AFN has taken up the responsibility to ensure that home-based athletes are in good shape for the start of each season.

Despite the zero subvention from the National Sports Commission (NSC) and lack of support from corporate bodies, Ogba revealed that AFN still organises a league.

“We don’t get any support either from the government or corporate Nigeria, yet we have consistently organised a Golden League, thanks to great sacrifice from my board members and staff of the AFN. We give cash incentives to home-based athletes with prospect of doing well in major championships’’.

The AFN president also said that many of the home-based athletes, especially those with very good prospects have enjoyed generous assistance from the federation.

“For our home-based athletes to get the needed international exposure, we arranged for them to participate in about five international competitions this year alone. They were in Ethiopia, Mauritius, Kenya, USA and Bahamas. Their participation in these events was made possible through great sacrifice by the board when funding and assistance was not coming from any quarter,” further observed the federation chief.

Ogba said he was not aware of any board amongst the national federations that were inaugurated in May 2013 that has done more than AFN in terms of winning laurels at continental and global stage as well as organising competitions at home and providing support for home-based athletes.

Ogba posits that his board deserves commendation rather than condemnation for the good work it has done since May 2013.