Minister of Sports Development Senator John Owan Enoh has responded to the revelation by Nigerian cyclist Ese Ukpeseraye who is set to compete in the ongoing 2024 Olympics in Paris, France.
The cyclist had on Thursday via her official X account stated that due to short notice, she could not get a bicycle and was almost at the risk of not participating but for the intervention of the German track team, who helped her with a bike.
But responding to the cyclist’s post, the minister explained that the Cyclist Federation of Nigeria had to work with a German owned company to get Ese a bike because “It’ll take months to have it [the special cycling equipment] delivered after ordering and making payment.”
The minister’s post, which he also shared on his official X handle, reads:
“My attention has been called to a post on social media by Ese Ukpeseraye. After reading the post and some follow up comments i swung into action. Ese’s post seems to have been grossly misunderstood, perhaps also because it didn’t seem to give proper context to the matter in perspective. It is important i make some clarifications.
“Ab initio, Team Nigeria qualified for one road race in cycling and prepared for it in terms of training and the appropriate competition equipment. Team Nigeria was fully prepared for this road race until two weeks ago after the Cycling team with the rest of Team Nigeria had already left for the Olympics, that a communication from the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) was received reallocating additional slots to the Cyclist Federation of Nigeria (Kerin and individual sprint).
“This reallocation to Nigeria was due to the disqualification of a country, leaving Nigeria as the next eligible to make the list of qualified countries to compete. Unfortunately, this additional slot required the use of a different competition equipment in terms of biking.
“For this track race reallocated to Team Nigeria, a very special equipment (approved specifically for the Olympic track game) is used. It’ll take months to have it delivered after ordering and making payment. To therefore get Ese to compete, the Federation through Ese’s Club in Europe and working with a German owned Company, got a ‘Track Bike’ for our cycler Ese.
“Tomorrow the 9th of August 2024, Ese will race in an individual sprint, the race she originally qualified for.”
