Sports minister: Why Nigerian cyclist didn’t have bike to compete at Olympics

John Enoh, minister of sports development, says Ese Ukpeseraye was without an approved track bike for the Keirin cycling at the 2024 Paris Olympics because Nigeria’s participation at the event came on short notice. 

On Thursday, Ukpeseraye claimed she had to borrow a bike from the German team to compete in the Keirin cycling event that was held on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old said her participation in the event was impromptu, and she had to improvise. 

The revelation triggered negative reactions on social media among Nigerians, who criticised the ministry of sports for the lapse.

Reacting to the situation, Enoh said the cyclist’s post was “grossly misunderstood” and “proper context” is needed.

The minister said Nigeria had qualified for only one event and “was fully prepared for this road race”.

He added that the country did not receive notice of participation in another event “until two weeks ago” and that “the rest of Team Nigeria had already left for the Olympics.”

Enoh said Nigeria got the emergency slot after another country was disqualified.

“Abinitio, Team Nigeria qualified for one road race in cycling and prepared for it in terms of training and the appropriate competition equipment,” the minister said.

“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.”

The minister said the newly allocated event requires “very special equipment” and that “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,” he said.

CFN: OUR TRACK BIKES NEEDED TO BE APPROVED BEFORE THEY COULD BE USED

Giadomenico Massari, president of the Cycling Federation of Nigeria (CFN), said the body has track bikes for cyclists, but they “cannot be used because they are not approved for Olympics”.

He added that the track bikes have been approved for use on Thursday.

“Our track bikes, which have been used for world championships, cannot be used because they are not approved for the Olympics,”

“We only got all the approval by the UCI (cycling world body) and the IOC yesterday (Wednesday). Ese Ukpeseraye has been able to train and race in the Kerin event, and tomorrow (today), she will race in individual sprint.”