Ernest Osogbue
Nigeria’s sole representative at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, in Milan Cortina, Italy, Samuel Ikpefan, yesterday, finished in 94th position, in a time of 26:38.4, in the men’s 10k cross country skiing. Samuel who debuted for Nigeria at Beijing 2022 Winter Games, also participated in the cross country sprints, where he finished 65th.
In an interview with German broadcaster DW television, monitored in Abuja, Samuel, alongside Simidele Adeagbo, the pioneer Nigerian Winter Olympian, who was part of the Nigerian Bobsled team in 2018, complained of a complete lack of interest and lack of funding from the Nigerian authorities, especially, the National Sports Commission, NSC. According to Simidele, since her breakthrough for Nigeria in 2018, and the excitement generated by the Bobsled team amongst the Nigerian public, there was never an official contact from the Nigerian sports authorities. She said a Bobsleigh costs about USD$40 thousand, and the athletes had to bear the costs, and other financial responsibilities alone.
For Samuel, who was born in France, it has not been easy, having to represent Nigeria in two Winter Games. According to him, he works three jobs, and has to squeeze his training into his schedule. He equally has to attend different competitions in different parts of the world, in order to qualify for the Olympic Games, and all these come at a cost. According to the athletes, not one kobo has ever been received from the Nigerian authorities, who could do well to reach out to the Nigerian diaspora, who are willing and ready to represent their fatherland, even at great personal costs.
As at the time of this report, African countries are yet to medal at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, as has been the case since the inaugural Winter Games, in 1924, with Benin, South Africa, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Cape Verde, and others, participating in different events. It may interest African countries to note that Scandinavian countries which excel at the Winter Games, equally participate in the Summer Olympics, and win medals, there’s therefore no reason for African countries not to harness their diaspora population in order to excel at the Winter Olympics.
Efforts made to reach the Chairman, National Sports Commission, NSC, Mallam Shehu Dikko, to respond to the athletes complaints, remained fruitless, as calls to his phone and WhatsApp messages, remained unanswered at the time of going to press.
The Winter Games close on February 22nd, with Norway currently topping the medals table with 9 gold medals, hosts, Italy are 2nd on 6 gold medals, with the the USA 3rd, on 4 gold medals, with many events still to come.
