Athletics
LAGOS SPORTS BOSS, KWEKU TANDOH APPLAUDS NATIONAL YOUTH GAMES
The Chairman of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Dr. Kweku Tandoh, has applauded the Grassroots and Youth Development department of the Sports Ministry, headed by Dr. Ademola Are, for the excellent organization of the 5th National Youth Games in Ilorin, Kwara State.
Dr. Tandoh, said in Ilorin, that, the Youth Games is the only solution to speedy disappearance of world class athletes from Team Nigeria.
He said: “This year’s National Youth Games is well organized compared to what it was in the last three editions. The most striking improvements are the facilities, the screening exercise was also near perfect. What these tell us is that, the organizers of the Youth Games have listening ears on further development of the Games.”
He added: “The other improvement was on the performances of Team Lagos at the 2019 Games. For us, it has been nothing but excellent, considering the fact that, we presented Under-15 athletes as stipulated by the rules of the Games’ organizers.
“Last year was our first participation in the National Youth Games and we finished second place despite not taking part in all the sports. At the end of the Games, we went back and decided to re-strategize and some of those strategies have worked for us, as we strongly gave consideration to some of the sports we have comparative advantage.
“We are beginning to see the results, so far, the Team Lagos has done very well, with the even spread of medals covering various sports, and it gives us good advantage. We believe so much that at the end of the Games we would have put up our best performance so far in the history of the National Youth Games.”
He stressed that: “We take delight in the overwhelming improvement and top performance of Team Lagos in the swimming event. This was a sport that we won only silver and a bronze at the last edition of the festival. This year, we won five gold medals, nine silver and two bronze medals in swimming.
“In this year’s Youth Games, out of the two hundred and forty eight athletes presented by Team Lagos for the Games, only two were screened out by the facial analysis screening methodology approach by the NYG screening team.
This improvement was made possible by a carefully selected training and developmental regime put in place by the Lagos Sports Commission, with the support of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who himself is a passionate follower of sports.
“It was also a one hundred percent performance in the football event, where Team Lagos won all the available gold medals in the event, in the male and female categories.”
Tandoh noted that: “Aside from all the medals so far won by Team Lagos athletes, the performances of the athletes have been wonderful in all the sports. We expect that such heartwarming performances will continue.”
The Lagos Sports Commission chairman stated that, for Lagos State our focus as a commission is sports development, in form of school sports and Community base development. Infact, the national Youth Games for us is more important that the National Sports Festival, because we believe this is where we begin to produce those talents that we will present to represent the state and indeed Nigeria.
“We take it very seriously, in each of the sports we have restrategized after the last National Youth Games. We constituted the boards of the state sports associations December last year and they are all in place.
“I must say that, I am very happy with what many of the boards have done since they resumed activities. We are beginning to see the production of new athletes. I must say that, out of the athletes representing Team Lagos at Ilorin 2019, only about 30 percent are returnee athletes from the last Games. That production line has started and that is what gives us great joy.
“And of course, we could not have done these without the support of the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who gave us everything that we required to prepare for this Games. We are looking long term.
“We believe in Lagos that sports development should be the focus of all states Sports Commissions. Let us begin to bring up all these talents from the youth and that is why I strongly support the decision of the Director of Grassroots, Youth Development in the Sports Ministry, Dr. Ademola Are, who reduced age-grade of participants in the Youth Games from 17 years to 15 years.
“When it come to youth development, the younger the better. With Under 17, the focus was always on winning competitions and not developmental. The Under 15 category for the National Youth Games is good because what that tells you, is that, you have to start preparing your athletes from age 10 and that is the best time to prepare them, and that will provide the opportunity in four to five years time for these youngsters to reach their target marks.
“For us in Lagos, the Youth Games is actually the test of the work the Sports Commissions and the Sports Agencies across the country are doing.”
Tandoh also appealed to sports administrators from all the states of the federation to stop using over-aged athletes for age-grade events.
“We want to appeal to some of the Sports Agencies from across the country, that it is not a do or die thing. We have seen some athletes at Ilorin 2019 that are far above the regulated 15 years old. I am a medical Doctor I have a bit of insights into knowing athletes that are overaged.
“By using over-aged athletes, the administrators, will forced to falsify athletes ages. It’s not a do or die thing, if your athletes are 15 years or more, then you begin to prepare such athletes for National Championships of the sports or the National Sports Festival.
“Let the Under 15s only compete at the SYG, lets know those who are the true Under-15s because that is what Nigeria will benefit from. We don’t want over-aged atheletes at 19 years old or 20 years, to come here to win nine gold medals and after one year he or she is nowhere to be found.
“That doesn’t augur well for sports development. So I want to appeal to all of us administrators to stick to what the rules say. For example in Lagos, before this edition of the National Youth Games, we had our own screening and took out athletes that we felt were overaged, or looked over aged.”
The London Marathon broke the record for the highest number of finishers in a marathon, with 59,830 participants completing the course to surpass the mark of 59,226 at last year’s New York City event.
Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe shattered the world record to become the first man to run the marathon in under two hours, followed by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who also breached the two-hour barrier on Sunday.
“To then break the record of the largest number of finishers in the history of marathons underlines the inspirational nature of the London Marathon. We are incredibly proud to have set a new Guinness World Record,” said Hugh Brasher, CEO of London Marathon Events.
In the women’s race, three women ran under two hours and 16 minutes in a single race for the first time ever, as Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa defended her title by shattering her own women ‘s-only world record
-Reuters
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Nigeria has aligned with the global athletics community in supporting World Athletics’ decision to reject 11 applications for nationality transfer to Türkiye, a move that includes sprinter Favour Ofili and signals a broader clampdown on the recruitment of foreign athletes.
Diamond League – Final – Zurich – Zurich, Switzerland – August 27, 2025 Jamaica’s Rajindra Campbell in action during the men’s shot put final REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth
The ruling, announced on Thursday by World Athletics’ Nationality Review Panel, affects athletes from multiple countries and was based on findings that the applications were part of a coordinated, government-backed effort to bolster Türkiye’s international competitiveness ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Rather than a single case, Ofili’s situation forms part of a wider group that includes five Kenyan athletes — among them former marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei — and four Jamaicans, including Olympic medallists Roje Stona and Rajindra Campbell. Russian heptathlete Sophia Yakushina was also among those denied eligibility.
Paris 2024 Olympics – Athletics – Men’s Discus Throw Victory Ceremony – Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France – August 08, 2024. Gold medallist Roje Stona of Jamaica celebrates on the podium. REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigie
London Marathon 2024 – Women’s Elite Press Conference – London, Britain – April 18, 2024 Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei poses for a photograph ahead of the London Marathon REUTERS/Peter Cziborra/File Photo
World Athletics stated that approving the applications would undermine key principles guiding the transfer of allegiance, particularly the need to maintain the integrity and credibility of national representation in global competitions.
“The panel found that the applications formed part of a coordinated recruitment strategy… to attract overseas athletes through lucrative contracts,” the governing body said.
For Nigeria, the decision is being viewed not as an isolated intervention but as part of a wider effort to protect countries that invest in developing athletes from grassroots to elite level, only to risk losing them to wealthier nations offering financial incentives.
Officials note that the rejection highlights growing concerns about the commercialisation of national allegiance in sport, where athletes are increasingly targeted through structured programmes designed to fast-track international success.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has previously warned against such trends, stressing that nationality transfers must reflect genuine national ties rather than transactional arrangements.
The regulations governing athlete transfers were tightened in 2019 to prevent abuse and ensure fairness, following increasing cases of athletes switching allegiance under financially driven circumstances.
Although the applications were rejected, World Athletics clarified that the affected athletes — including Ofili — remain eligible to compete in one-day meetings, road races and club competitions, as well as live and train in Türkiye. However, they are barred from representing the country at major championships such as the Olympic Games and World Championships.
The decision is widely seen as a significant moment for global athletics, reinforcing the principle that national representation should be built on identity and development rather than financial inducement.
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A former president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Chief Solomon Ogba, has commended World Athletics for rejecting the application by Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili to switch allegiance to Türkiye.
World Athletics, through its Nationality Review Panel, on Thursday turned down Ofili’s request to represent the European nation, citing concerns over the integrity of international competitions and the growing trend of athlete recruitment driven by financial incentives.
Reacting to the decision, Ogba described the ruling as a victory for fairness and a strong message in defence of developing nations that invest heavily in nurturing athletic talent.
“This is justice not just for Nigeria but for many developing countries that work tirelessly to groom athletes, only for them to be lured away by wealthier nations,” Ogba said.
The panel, in its report, noted that granting the transfer would undermine key principles, including safeguarding the credibility of national representation and discouraging the systematic recruitment of foreign athletes for global competitions.
Ofili’s case was one of 11 applications submitted by the Turkish Athletics Federation, which World Athletics linked to a broader government-backed strategy to strengthen its team ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Despite having obtained Turkish citizenship and signing a lucrative club contract, Ofili remains ineligible to compete for Türkiye in major competitions such as the World Championships and the Olympic Games.
Ogba singled out World Athletics President Sebastian Coe for praise, describing him as a consistent ally of developing countries.
“How can a country nurture an athlete from grassroots level to elite status, only for another nation that showed no prior interest to come with financial inducements and take them away? It is unfair and must be discouraged,” he said.
The former AFN boss also advised athletes to remain focused and avoid making career decisions driven solely by short-term financial gains. He cited global stars such as Usain Bolt, Julien Alfred, and Eliud Kipchoge, who achieved success while representing their home countries.
Ogba further warned athletes against external pressures from managers and associates, urging them to consider the long-term implications of switching nationality.
“Many athletes who left Nigeria often return after retirement seeking support. The reality is that your home country offers opportunities beyond competition — as coaches, administrators, and mentors,” he added.
He concluded by urging Nigerian athletes to remain loyal and committed, stressing that while opportunities abroad may appear attractive, long-term security and identity remain tied to their country of origin.
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