SUNDAY BADA CWG Q&A

kitkat1 · February 19, 2006, 12:53am

Sunday 19th, February, 2006 HOME | Previous Page

Our Chances At Melbourne Are Bright – Bada

Sunday Bada can best be described as the engine room of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN). As the Technical Director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, he carries the federation’s burden of ensuring that athletes selected to represent the country in international events are those that would give the country medals. Before he got into that position, he had represented Nigeria in major international sporting events – including the All Africa Games, Commonwealth Games, World Athletics Championship and the Olympics Games. Bada, who led Nigeria’s 4x100 meters relay team that won silver behind USA, was also the captain of the Nigerian contingent to the Sydney 2000 Olympics Games. Orkula Shaagee caught up with the AFN Technical Director at the Abuja National Stadium last Saturday at the closing ceremony of the 17th AFN/NNPC/MOBIL Track and Field Athletics Trials for Commonwealth Games, where he spoke on the team’s preparation and what should be expected from athletics at the quadrennial sports fiesta. Excerpts:

How would you rate the level of participation at this championship?

     Well, I can say the level of participation at this championship is very high and the time returned by the athletes is very impressive. We are working on a way of programming them in a manner that they will be able to do well at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia.

Do you have other programmes that will keep the athletes busy and in shape before the commencement of the Melbourne Games in March?

The athletes are currently in camp and we intend to sustain the camping. The camping will be an on-going thing, and thereafter we will move into the training tour from where we will actually finalise our preparations for the main games proper.

What should Nigerians expect from the athletics team that will be carrying the nation’s banner at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne Australia, having in mind the dismal outing of the Nigerian team in the last Olympics Games and the World Athletics Championship?

We are saying that Nigerians should expect the best from us, and we are making all efforts to make the country proud at the games. We are not promising anything but we know that we are promising the country an impressive outing at the games in March 2006.

I know that you may have been following events in athletics the world over. To what extent, by virtue of what you have been following, do you think the Nigerian athletics team to Melbourne would go?

Our chances are very bright, and we will continue to keep a tab on our athletes; to work on them and see if they can improve on their present level of performance before the main events start at the Melbourne Games.

Athletes and some officials have in the past complained of poor patronage from the public, saying it has not helped in boosting the morale of participating athletes at the trials since it was moved form Lagos to Abuja, and they have recommended that the trials should be brought back to Lagos. What is your position on this.

I agree with that position because the stadium here is massive; therefore, no matter the number of spectators that would come to watch proceedings here, it will not have much impact on the athletes. It will be like there is nobody in it; it will be like the stadium is empty. But let me say that with the quality of facilities that are in place here, this place is the best for any top level athletics events in this country –like the one we are holding here today.

The facilities here can be compared to sporting facilities in any other part of the world. All the facilities required to host this championship are in place here, which is not obtainable in most places in this country.

For example, the tracks at the National Stadium in Lagos is not good, which cannot produce the best from athletes if the championship were to hold there; but here, it is like everything is in place and that is why we always like coming here for the trials every year.

One of the issues that usually hamper the impressive performance of Nigerian athletes at international events has been lack of adequate incentives and motivation to athletes by the government. Can you say there is adequate motivation to the athletes to do their best in Melbourne?

I must commend the Minister of Sports and Social Development, Dr. Saidu Samaila Sambawa, for the ministry’s efforts towards our successful participation in the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Right from the very day we started local camping to this date, we have been enjoying adequate care from government. All that we need to perform has been provided for us; so I can say everything is okay.

So, what is the last word to the Nigerian sporting community as you embark on this journey?

I will say we are on course. We as federation are working to see how we can restore the lost glory of athletics in this country. And just like I said earlier, you can see that we are already on course. In just a year in office of the present board of Athletics Federation of Nigeria, we have started getting the athletes back to where they are supposed to be, and we are hoping that we will do better in the next couple of months and years to come.