As Nigerian athletes compete for honours at the 12th African Games in Rabat, Morocco one sprinter many of us relied on for medals is Blessing Okagbare-Otegheri.
Many Nigerians were looking forward to seeing her in the final after she had won heat 3 of the 100m first round with a time of 11:53 seconds earlier on Monday.
However, Blessing Okagbare-Otegheri who has been one of the most consistent Nigerian female athletes in recent years disappointed more than a few after she was disqualified for a false start in the women’s 100m semi-finals heat 1 at the ongoing African Games.
Okagbare who is married to former Enugu Rangers striker, Igho Otegheri, was a bronze medallist at 2008 Olympics Games in Beijing but was disqualified for beating the gun at the starting block at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex.
The disqualification of a highly experienced and world class athlete like Okagbare has remained a topic of discussion among sports aficionados in the country.
Already there were insinuations that Okagbare may have committed that blunder to punish the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and the Federal Government due to the alleged scuffle in the Team Nigeria’s camp before their trip to the North African country.
Like in previous tournaments attended by Team Nigeria, it was alleged that the AFN and the FG did not make proper arrangement for the athletes though some officials blamed it on the delay in naming a substantive sports minister until penultimate week.
Unlike our football national teams especially the Super Eagles who get big budgets ahead of major competitions, the Federal Government and the Sports Ministry rarely make huge budget for our athletes. Even on the few occasions that the FG and the Sports Ministry approve substantial budget for major championships, our officials would rather divert such funds to their private accounts or that of their cronies while the athletes are left to tarin on empty stomachs. Surprisingly, these same athletes who hardly enjoyed the best of preparations for tournaments are expected to win laurels for the country against their well motivated counterparts from other parts of the world.
If eventually our athletes managed to mount the medals podium despite the poor motivation, what they get for their tireless efforts is either a meagre sum of money or Presidential handshake.
Okagbare may have preferred to be disqualified for a false start this time rather than receiving presidential handshake for emerging the winner of the women’s 100m race.
Following her disqualification, I learnt from an impeccable source in Morocco that officials of the AFN have held a meeting with her and they have encouraged her to go for gold in the 200m and the 4×100m relay race.
Winning gold medals in 200m and the 4×100m relay race will atone for Okagbare’s gaffe in the 100m race.
