Federation packages firmer muscles for lifters

Following the sudden realization of the medal hauls in competitive weightlifting, the Weightlifting Federation of Nigeria has rapped up a package they hope would give Nigerian lifters a new lease of life. That is not all; the federation has also, decided to 'pick-up' all the bar- bells around the country and heap them in the Niger/Delta region of the nation.

This move, nigeriasports.com learnt, is designed to ensure that, round pegs are stuck into round holes, while square holes are left hollowfor square pegs to fill. "This is why government decided to give the game to the Niger/Delta, who have the game. We have discovered from statistics that, weightlifting in Nigeria, is best performed by athletes from this part of the country; and we have thus made it their baby.

"I can tell you that, it was against this strong conviction that the authority chose the President, Professor Sam Edem, as President of the federation. He is not only from the region, but also, the Chairman, Niger/Delta Development Commission (NDDC). So you can see the rationale behind his choice...sort of appointing a son of the soil to take care of what belongs to children of the soil. About 95% of Nigerian weightlifters come from the Niger/Delta," Steeve Olarinoye, the new Secretary-General of the Weightlifting body, told nigeriasports.com

According to Olarinoye, who said he garnered his sports admininstrative experience from the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) where he onced served, weightlifting is perhaps, next to swimming in terms of medal allocations at intertionational competitions. This he stressed, informed the federation's ''serious and loaded package for lifters so that, we would be there, when the roll in called any time at international championships."

The nation won 9 silver medals at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, Australia; at the Cairo, Egypt All-Africa Games in 1991,the Lifters hauled home 6 gold and 14 bronze medals; at the 1993 African Championships, they came home with 4 gold, 7 silver and 4bronze medals; a year later in Victoria, Canada, Commonwealth Games, 6 gold, 4 silver and 9 bronze medals were what they had to show for their efforts.

At the 1995 Harare All-Africa Games, the Nigerian weightlifting squad, recorded lifts worth 3 gold, 10 silver and 9 bronze medals, while at the same continental sports galaxy in South Africa (Jo'Borg '99) a sack-full of 28 gold, 5 silver and 9 bronze medals was part of the luggage the Nigerian contingents brought back home.

Regrettably however, the Nigerian weightlifting graph, seems to be nose-diving; at the 2000 Olympics in Australia (Sydney2000), onlya female silverish lift in the game, privileged the Nigerian flag to be flown, when the medallists' roll was called. And in Abuja 2003 All-Africa Games, the golden basket from South Africa was reduced from 28 to 14, some miserable 17 silver and 5 bronze medals as consolations.

But even at that, Olarinoye who looked fire-up for a positive mission in the upliftment of the game beyond all previous feats, would tell you with an undaunting air - ''with these records, one can boldly say that weightlifting has the highest medal allocations at championships. That is why all hands must be on deck. Weightlifting must take its rightful place in the heirachy of medals- winning sports for Nigeria."

Steeve Olarinoye's 'open file' interview, as has been our style, will continue...another promise and as you know, we keep our promises always and this won't be an exception

Emiko Bake