Doha 2019: Team Nigeria Camp In Disarray Over Recall Of Technical Director

IAAF: Team Nigeria Camp In Disarray Over Recall Of Technical Director

By Our Reporter

The camp of Team Nigeria participating at the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championship in Doha is in disarray over the recall of the Techical Director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Sunday Adeleye.

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare in a statement on Sunday asked for the recall of the AFN Technical Director Sunday Adeleye from the camp of the Team Nigeria at the ongoing IAAF World Athletics Championship. 

The athletes expressed rude shock that the team leader has been directed to leave camp due to the directive of the Minister of youth and sport.

Athletes who do not only see Adeleye as their Technical Director but also as a mentor are not happy with the development and have been wondering why the minister would recall their top official in the middle of a top competition and expect them to perform to the best of their ability.

The recall happened after the IAAF disqualified and reinstated Nigeria’s top sprinters Divine Oduduru and Blessing Okagbare from the Men and Women 200m events respectively after they didn’t participate in the Men and Women’s 100m events.  

One would have expected Adeleye to finish his duties as team leader at the championship and then a committee is set up to look into the issue and address it accordingly upon the team’s arrival back in the country as this is a clear case of interference.   

Sources in the team camp, said athletes are demoralized as this would affect the team’s performance during the remaining part of the championship. 

Athletes who spoke and begged for animosity: “TD leaving is a big blow to us because he’s been a big source of motivation to us.”

Another athlete said: “Personally, I’m down because there are some team discussion we’ve had as regards to our relay and now he’s leaving will cause a dent on our preparation.”