The forward-looking vision seems to chart the course
for Yusuf Ali after being appointed this week as CEO of the Elite Athletes
Development and Podium Board of the National Sports Commission (NSC) in
Nigeria.
In statements to The Guardian, he said on
Wednesday that Los Angeles 2028 will be decisive.
The new Chief will not be alone. The NSC officially
announced the composition of the rest of the team, which will include 13
members, among whom are prominent figures such as Olympians Mary Onyali and
Hauwa Kulu Akinyemi, as well as sports development experts like Professor Ken
Anugweje.
Ali, known for his historic 8.27-metre jump at the
1989 African Athletics Championships, will lead them all.
For Ali, the next Olympic appointment will serve as a
key indicator of the success that the policies implemented by the board may
hold.
“The 2028 Games will be an important test of how
much effectiveness has advanced, and this will also be reflected in other
international sporting commitments of the country before that date,” he stated.
The main objective pursued by this arm of the NSC,
according to Ali, is none other than to achieve outstanding sporting success
that leads to visible results.
“Our mandate seeks to achieve excellent
performance in all disciplines, which will lead us to be present on the podiums
and in the various international sporting commitments,” he noted.
Ali, who was previously president of the Edo State
Sports Commission, stated that his appointment symbolises national recognition
for the work he has been doing over the years in favour of sports development.
In the same vein, he assured that his new position
presents him with a significant challenge: to offer the best to place the
Nigerian sports sector at the top, making it the engine of an activity that
becomes profitable for all those who participate in it. From this perspective,
his idea is to turn sport into an economically attractive and sustainable
industry.
“In countries with very strong development and
implementation policies, sport is a huge business, and that is the goal of the
National Sports Commission’s leadership.
We want a multi-million naira sports industry that
generates income for both the nation and the participants,” explainedAli. The
NSC expects this project to contribute 5% of the national GDP and generate
between 3 and 4 billion dollars (€2.9/4.2 bn) in net annual income by 2027.
Ali made it clear that the seed of good international
sports performance begins with the implementation of strong national policies.
“Great elite performance involves ensuring solid
talent identification and development, fostering continuous coach training, and
ensuring adequate funding allocation in the form of training grants for
athletes and coaches.
This will be the core of the board,” he stated.
Beyond accumulating in athletics a record that shines
with a national long jump record that has been in place since 1989 and the
three medals he won in that championship, Ali also has an important track
record dedicated to sports management.
In 2022, the then Minister of Sports, Sunday Dare, appointed him as Nigeria’s coordinator for the Commonwealth Games in
Birmingham. On that occasion, the team returned home with 12 gold medals.
The composition of the NSC Board is made up of
carefully selected experts, as highlighted by the NSC Director General, Bukola
Olopade.
“All committee members were selected for their
experience and knowledge to help Nigeria achieve sustainable success on the
podium,” he noted.
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