‘We can’t force Okagbare, others to focus on Olympics preparation now’

AFN officials worried over slow preparation for Rio
In a battlefront, one is either advancing or staging a retreat, as standing in a particular position for too long could be of grave consequence.

To some stakeholders in Nigerian sports, Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung, is ‘staying too long in one position’ as far as preparations for the Rio Olympics is concerned.

The 2016 Rio Olympics will run from August 5 to 21 in Brazil, and Team Nigeria’s preparation for the Games seems not to be having a direction.

The situation is raising great concern for the athletes, coaches and officials of the various sports federations, who have qualified their athletes for the Games.

What seems to be a discordant tune is coming from the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN). Like other Federations, the AFN seems not to be comfortable with the slow pace at which Team Nigeria’s preparation for the Games is moving.

A top AFN coach told The Guardian yesterday that the federation was in a fix on how to go about its programme for the Rio Olympics.

“Our initial plan was to stop our top athletes from competing in the Diamond League and other smaller competitions so as not to burn their energy before the Rio Olympics. But as it is now, it will be difficult to stop them because there is nothing on ground.

“For instance, someone like Blessing Okagbare is a big athlete.