Nations, diplomacy, and sports are interwoven. Sports persons and
sports teams are, in a sense, representatives of and mirrors of their
countries. It is no coincidence that most great nations are also
leading sporting countries because it is a significant tool of soft
power projection. Nations demonstrate their might either through
‘Fight’ or ‘play’. The latter is the province of international sporting
events like the Olympics.
Sporting competitions, particularly at the elite level, have often been
likened to modern-day wars. This metaphor draws on the intense
rivalry, nationalistic fervour, and strategic and physical battles that
characterize sports and warfare. However, unlike actual wars, which
involve devastating loss of life and destruction, sports provide a
controlled environment for channelling competitive instincts and
resolving conflicts through non-violent means.Little wonder the
famous author Goerge Orwell posits, “serious port has nothing to
do with fair play.
It is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness,
disregard of all rules, and sadistic pleasure in witnessing violence:
in other words, it is war minus the shooting.” Modern states are not
expected to wage war against each other for the fun of it or just
sheer dominance; the only arena of legitimate dominance that
elicits nationalism and patriotic fervour is international sports.
Like wars, sporting events, especially international competitions like
the Olympics, become arenas where national pride and identity are
fiercely defended and displayed. Athletes are often seen as warriors
representing their nations, carrying the hopes and aspirations of
their people. The victories and defeats in these arenas are
celebrated or mourned, almost like battles won or lost on a
battlefield. The spectacle of countries competing against each other
in these global events can evoke strong emotions, much like the
nationalism that fuels wars. Preparing for high-level sports
competitions mirrors the strategic planning capabilities seen in
military campaigns. Coaches and athletes meticulously study their
opponents, devise game plans, and adapt their strategies as the
competition unfolds. This aspect of sports is comparable to the
strategy and tactics employed in warfare, where intelligence,
preparation, and adaptability often determine the outcome. The
intense focus on outmanoeuvring and outthinking the opponent in
sports can be seen as a simulation of the strategic elements of
warfare.
The Olympics are the highest arenas of sporting glory, where
sporting artistry, creativity and skills are showcased to a global
audience for fame, glory, prominence and recognition. Whatever
happens there mirrors the relative might and priorities of the state. It
significantly reflects the economic status of a state and the
opportunities it offers. Better-organized societies and prosperous
nations are more likely to achieve better results; the reverse is the
opposite. Prosperous countries invest heavily in the sports industry
and reap the reward in the country’s performance at these major
sporting events. Historically, Africa and other third-world countries
have won fewer sports awards in these competitions. Although this
may have improved a little recently, the improvement is not
significant.
The Paris Olympics is the latest iteration of great power competition
in sports. So far, the final medals table reaffirms the familiar order
of precedence among sporting nations: the US, China, Australia,
France, the UK, Japan etc, are the leaders. Despite our population
and talent, Nigeria is nowhere represented in the medals table.
Nigeria’s lacklustre performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics has
shown our level of organizational tardiness, shabby preparation and
short-term solutions for long-term challenges, poor incentive
system, lack of patriotism, corruption and nepotism; low
government and private sector investment.
Olympics success is a function of many factors- training and
preparation, athlete commitment and level of patriotism, sports
administration capabilities, investment in sporting infrastructure,
funding and professionalism. The poor organizational capabilities of
the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) led to the non-registration of
Favour Ofili for a race in which she had a bright chance. This is not
the first time NOC has displayed this level of negligence. Nigeria’s
performance at the Paris Olympics mirrors the extent of our
preparations, investment, and commitment. It is clear that we need
a significant improvement in our sports administration to avert a
more consequential crisis soon afterwards.
Our athletes do not just have potential, they are talented and
capable. However, there is a lack of sufficient incentive and
motivation for them to excel in the global international sporting
arena. D’Tigress, Nigeria’s female basketball team, became the first
African team (male or female) to reach the Olympic quarterfinals in
Basketball. Favour Ofili became the first Nigerian in 28 years to
reach the 200m finals. Chukwuebuka Enekwachi, in shotput, shone
brightly even without a medal. Also, 18-year-old Samuel Ogazi
became the first Nigerian man to reach the 400m final since 1988.
Ese Brume, Ruth Usoro, and Prestina Ochonogor all secured
spots in the final of the long jump event.
These achievements are a testament to the potential of our
athletes and should give us hope for the future of Nigerian sports.
The Honourable Minister of Sports, Senator John Owan Enoh,
demonstrated exceptional organizational skills at the Summer
Olympics. However, the limited timeframe was insufficient to fully
impact the final medal table. This underscores the crucial role of
possessing superior organizational capabilities and engaging in
long-term planning in the success of our athletes and teams. It is
imperative that we allow adequate time for preparations to manifest
in tangible results, and this should be a key focus of our sports
administration.
However, the trend of Nigerian athletes competing for other
countries raises questions about our sports administration,
nationalism, and reward systems. Annette Nneka Echikunwoke,
who won silver for the USA in the hammer throw, was a victim of
administrative incompetence in the 2020 Olympics and hence had
to switch representation to another country. Salwa Naser took
silver for Bahrain in the women’s 400m race. Yemisi Ogunleye won
gold in the women’s shot put for Germany. Tade Ojora and Victoria
Ohuruogu competed for Britain, Rhasidat Adeleke for Ireland, Daisy
Osakwe for Italy and Manuel Mordi for Germany, among others.
This trend is a loss for Nigeria and must end. We must be ready as
a country to harness the talents of all Nigerians and appreciate
them, no matter where they are in the world. This will not only
strengthen our sports teams but also promote a sense of national
pride and unity.
John F. Kennedy argued that “sports are a microcosm of society.
They are a medium through which we convey our values and
goals.” It has the power to change the world. It has the power to
inspire. It can unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to
young and old in a language they understand. It creates hope,
whereas once, there was only despair. During this Olympics period,
Nigerians feasted on the game, glued to their screens to cheer up
their favourite athletes and inspire Nigerian athletes to sporting
immortality.
As the Olympic games were on, Nigerian youth embarked on the
mother of all protest, where in the North, many lives and property
were lost and damaged, and, in the South, a pervasive feeling of
hopelessness was in the air. Whether there was any link between
the competitive sports of the Olympics and the competition for state
power by protesters is yet to be fathomed, but one thing is clear:
there is a parallelism between competitive sports and competitive
contest for influencing government power in a direction the
protesters are clamouring for.
The physicality of many sports, where athletes engage in direct,
sometimes brutal, competition, also draws symbolism from physical
combat. Sports like boxing, rugby, and American football, where
physical dominance is crucial, can be seen as direct analogues to
combat. Even in less physically confrontational sports, the
psychological battles between competitors—where mental strength,
resilience, and the will to win are paramount—resemble the
psychological warfare between opposing forces in a conflict.
Sporting competitions as modern-day wars is a metaphor that
captures the Olympics’ intensity, rivalry, and national significance.
While most of the sorts share many characteristics with
warfare—nationalism, strategy, physical and psychological
battles—the critical difference lies in sports’ peaceful and
constructive nature. Unlike wars, which bring destruction and
suffering, sports unite people, offering a way to celebrate human
achievement, resolve conflicts, and foster global unity. The contrast
between the Russian-Ukraine conflicts, the Hamas brouhaha and
the Paris Olympics is obvious. The Olympics are symbols of peace
and prosperity. The insane, rootless fanaticism that drives a sports
team is the same spirit that motivates patriotic people. Nigeria
should use opportunities of future Olympics to be counted among
the respected nations of the world. Let our future outing qualify us
to be regarded as a nation of serious minded people .
