IKPO IGBINOBA/Lagos
Facts have continued to emerge why Nigerian boxers failed to live up to expectations at the recently concluded Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia.
PM EXPRESS can report that in defiance of advice from the medical team which was part of the Commonwealth Games’ camp, boxing coach Tony Konyegwachie took overweight boxers to Australia.
Nigeria, recorded her worst result in boxing in the history of the quadrennial Games.
From the eight boxers (four males and four females) paraded by Nigeria at the Games,only two got bronze medals,Millicent Agboegbulem and Yetunde Odunuga.
One of the officials attached to the boxing team during its camping in Lagos made the startling revelation in a chat with PM Express.
According to the official who craved anonymity, there were two boxers(a male and a female) with severe weight problems in the camp.
“After several weeks in camp, it was clear the boxers who exceeded their weight limit by as much as four kilogrammes each won’t be able to shed off the surplus in Australia without losing form.
“It was clear that the stress and rigour associated with trying to shed weight would exact a massive toll on the boxers”.
For this reason, the official said the medical team concluded it would be better to have boxers who didn’t have weight issues than the overweight boxers on the team.
However, when the medical team delivered their opinion that the overweight boxers be dropped, the coach Tony Konyegwachie refused.
The source continued “The coach dismissed the medical team and its report insisting that the issue of overweight boxers was technical and not medical.”
With the coach having the final word on team selection, the two boxers made the list of eight boxers to Australia.
Both boxers lost their first and only fight in most scandalous fashion.
Aside the issue of overweight boxers, the official also alleged bias in the selection of the team.
He cited the case of a female boxer from the Nigeria Army who dominated her class during the camping and trials.
According to him “This female boxer was a sure gold medal prospect. Out of the nine trials, she won in eight but curiously she was dropped at the last minute”.
The official took a swipe at the sports ministry for the woeful outing of Nigerian boxers at the Games.
“The ministry should be held responsible for the fate that befell Nigerian boxers at the Games.
“Why should the ministry allow a coach lacking in prerequisite experience and exposure take a team to the Games when the country is blessed with seasoned coaches”?
“The country still has veterans like Isaac Ikhuoria, Joe Mensah, Obisia Nwankpa and a host of others in the top league of coaching, yet the huge responsibility was handed to Konyegwachie who at best should be an apprentice”.
If the country must ever retain her pre-eminent position in boxing, the sports ministry official advocated an overhaul of the ministry.
“There are so many square pegs in round holes in the ministry and it is responsible for the sorry state of Nigerian sports.
“Until the right persons who are also patriotic are engaged, Nigerian sports will continue to decline”.
Nigeria at the height of her boxing glory was the 7th best nation in the world in 1992.