A former Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Dr. Amos Adamu, has voiced his concerns over Nigeria’s declining fortunes in international sports.

Breaking nearly a decade of silence, Adamu expressed little surprise over the country’s failure to secure a medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics, a development he claimed to have foreseen.

Speaking to Inside The Games, Adamu said, “I already warned about the potential failure before the event began in July. The same fate can befall us at the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles in the US in 2028, because there is so far no concrete plan on the ground to change the narrative.”

Nigeria’s 19th appearance at the Olympics ended in disappointment, despite high expectations. The country sent 88 athletes to compete in 12 sports, backed by N9 billion in government funding. However, the delegation returned empty-handed, marking the worst performance since London 2012. This was a stark contrast to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where Nigeria won two medals—a silver and a bronze.

Fr. Amos Adamu lamented the lack of preparation, recalling his warnings to the then Minister of Sports, John Enoh, before the Games.

“Where would the medals have come from? They don’t buy medals at the Olympics. You plan and work for this over time,” he said.

He criticized the late release of training funds and inadequate preparation, adding, “The athletes didn’t get money to train as at when due… Medals are not sold but won.”

Adamu highlighted the importance of long-term athlete development, consistent training programmes abroad, and timely funding, strategies he championed during his tenure at the NSC.

Looking ahead, Adamu issued a dire warning, saying, “Even with an increased budget now, there may be nothing to celebrate as achievement at the end of the 2028 Games if concrete steps were not taken immediately,” he stated.

Nigeria, which debuted at the Summer Olympics in 1952, has participated in every edition except the 1976 Montreal Games, which it boycotted in protest against apartheid. However, the nation’s Olympic performance has been marred by inconsistency, largely due to issues of poor planning and lack of investment in sports development.

Adamu’s remarks underscore the urgent need for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s sports system to avoid another barren outing at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.