The Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) has set an ambitious target for the upcoming Olympics in Paris, aiming to secure at least 12 medals.
This goal was highlighted by the NOC’s Secretary General, Tunde Popoola, during an interview on Brila FM.
Popoola emphasized the importance of supporting athletes financially and ensuring they are well-prepared for the competition. “The athletes shouldn’t be begging for bread; this is an opportunity to empower them,” he said. He reiterated that funds collected, as mentioned by the Sports Minister, will primarily benefit the athletes. “Most of the funds, like what the Sports Minister said, will go to the athletes, and we agree.”
Popoola stressed the need to uplift athletes, ensuring they are proud and well-supported. “We need to empower them. Some who are not well-to-do should feel proud at the end of the day. We also want to make the athletes happy and include them in the picture.”
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Highlighting the broader impact of the Olympics, Popoola noted, “We want to expose them, expose what is going on here. If we have a bad image and do particularly well in the Olympics, everybody will not seem to think about that anymore. It polishes our image as a country and positions us very well.”
While Popoola could not specify the exact colors of the medals, he confidently stated, “The color of the medal is what I cannot say, but we will come back with a larger number than we used to have. I think whatever colors of medals we are going to get shouldn’t be less than 12.”
With this optimistic outlook, the NOC is preparing to make a significant impact at the Paris Olympics, hoping to elevate Nigeria’s standing on the international sports stage.
