Nigeria’s sports minister, John Enoh, explained why cyclist Ese Ukpeseraye competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics without approved equipment. Due to a late qualification notice, Nigeria had to improvise with borrowed bikes. Criticism followed, but Enoh clarified that the situation arose from unexpected changes and equipment approval delays.
In a recent development surrounding Nigeria's performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Sports Minister John Enoh addressed the controversy involving cyclist Ese Ukpeseraye. Ukpeseraye, who competed in the Keirin cycling event on Wednesday, revealed that she had to borrow a bike from the German team due to a lack of approved equipment. Her disclosure sparked criticism on social media, with many accusing the Nigerian Ministry of Sports of inadequate preparation.
Minister Enoh clarified that Nigeria’s participation in the Keirin event was unexpected. Initially, the country had only qualified for one road race and was prepared accordingly. However, Nigeria received notification of an additional slot for the Keirin and individual sprint events just two weeks before the Olympics, after another country was disqualified.
The minister explained that the new slot required specific equipment, which could not be procured in time for the Games. The Federation had to rely on a temporary solution, obtaining a track bike from a German-owned company for Ukpeseraye's use. According to Enoh, the track bikes previously available to Nigeria were not approved by the International Cycling Union (UCI) or the International Olympic Committee (IOC) until the day of the event.
Giadomenico Massari, president of the Cycling Federation of Nigeria (CFN), confirmed that while the federation had track bikes, they were not Olympic-approved until Wednesday. Despite the challenges, Ukpeseraye managed to participate in the Keirin event and is set to race in the individual sprint.
