According to the Lagos Vanguard, the Nigerian athletes participating at the All-Africa games arrived in the host city of Algiers, Algeria without proper equipment or uniforms for the games, prompting one sprinter to shun his country's flag entirely during the medal ceremony. From the Vanguard, via All Africa.com:
Nigerian athletes did not have kits. They appeared in their different colours, not uniformed. Even during medal presentations, the Nigerian winners would only be known when the announcers identify them. They had no Nigerian Track Suits for such colourful events. Big Shame.An athlete without a track suit simply cannot win! Or at least, they cannot look cool pulling off the ripoff pants prior to competition. (Note to self: We need to start using that phrase more: Big Shame.) The Nigerian National Sports Commission has been the target of--shocking!---allegations of theft and fraud for years in the nation, as Nigeria is the most populous and one of the wealthiest nations in Africa yet struggles to field consistently competitive teams or contingents in any major international sport.
Nigeria's not alone, however, in their administrative bungling. The All-Africa games as a whole may fall under new management in the form of the African Olympic Committee, who would be taking over from the ham-handed mismanagement of the African Union's sporting division. (And we all know how transparent and honest Olympic committees are. ) Nevertheless, it may be trading horrible management for merely bad, which would be a marked improvement.
