Nigerian male athletes are frustrated, says Emedolu

Former Nigerian sprinter, Uchenna Emedolu, has given reasons why the nation’s female athletes are doing batter than their male counterparts at global competitions.

At the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Nigerian female athletes won eight gold, three silver and five bronze medals to take the country to the second position in Africa, while the men could only settle for three silver and six bronze medals.

When the battle shifted from Glasgow to Marrakech, Morocco, for the African Athletics Championship last year, Team Nigeria was able to defend her title through the efforts of female competitors.

The women also came to the country’s rescue at the just concluded African Games in Congo Brazzaville, winning a greater number of the gold medals that took Team Nigeria to the second position behind Egypt.

Emedolu, who ran a personal best time of 9.97 secs in the 100 at Abuja 2003 All African Games to rank sixth overall best in Nigeria, said lack of encouragement from Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) is making life difficult for male athletes in the country.

Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s opening ceremony of talent hunt athletics programme powered by ‘Making Of Champions’, Emedolu alleged that those managing the nation’s athletics are “sentimental”.

“Our male athletes always have problems with the AFN financially,” Emedolu alleged.