The Nigerian Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Enoh, has explained the circumstances that led to Nigerian cyclist Ese Ukpeseraye competing at the Paris Olympics with a bicycle borrowed from the German team.
According to the minister, the track race that Ukpeseraye participated in was reallocated to Team Nigeria after another country was disqualified. However, the reallocated event required specialized equipment that would have taken months to be delivered if ordered. To ensure that Ukpeseraye could compete, the Nigerian Cycling Federation, with the help of her club in Europe and a German-owned company, managed to secure a track bike for her on short notice.
Enoh clarified this situation on his X handle after Ukpeseraye posted about the German team’s support on social media. He emphasized that the Nigerian team was originally prepared for a road race, not the track race, which necessitated the use of a different type of bike.
The minister assured that Nigeria remains committed to supporting its athletes and revealed that Ukpeseraye would have the necessary equipment for her upcoming individual sprint race on Friday.
So far, Team Nigeria has not won any medals at the Olympics, but hopes remain high as Tobi Amusan prepares for the semifinals of the 100m hurdles.
