National Sports Commission Director General Bukola Olopade has urged Nigeria’s sports federations to improve their standards. This comes as Team Nigeria prepares for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, according to Saturday PUNCH.
Olopade spoke during a meeting with federation executives and technical officials in Abuja. He outlined the Commission’s plan for the Games and stressed that athlete welfare, discipline, and results will guide all decisions.
“The welfare of our athletes is non-negotiable. They are the reason we are going to Glasgow, and everything we do must reflect that,” Olopade said.
The DG announced that Team Nigeria will train in Aberdeen, Scotland. This city was chosen for its top-notch facilities, weather similar to Glasgow, and closeness to the Games Village. Before that, local training will start nationwide on Tuesday, June 9. This will help with conditioning, medical checks, and technical training in various sports.
Olopade was clear about the expectations for the federations. He said the time for underperformance without consequences is over.
“The days of excuses are over. Glasgow 2026 is about results. It is about showing the world that Nigerian sports is back on the right track, focused, purposeful, and athlete-centered,” he stated.
He also believes that the preparations being made will lead to Nigeria's best performance at the Commonwealth Games in recent years.
“We are optimistic this will be Nigeria’s best Commonwealth Games outing yet. We have studied past performances, identified gaps, and we are closing them early. Preparations have started in earnest, and we expect every federation to match the Commission’s energy and urgency,” Olopade added.
The 2026 Commonwealth Games will take place from July 22 to August 2. More than 70 nations and territories will compete in over 20 sports. Nigeria has always been one of Africa’s strongest teams at the Games. The Commission states that this campaign will focus on careful planning, data-driven athlete support, and clear accountability at the federation level.
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