Diack Charges Nigerians -IAAF Boss Says: Make Full Use Of Center

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) President, Lamine Diack is optimistic Nigeria athletics will produce great stars when the High Performance Center situated at the University of Port Harcourt is completed and also hopes that Nigeria athletics will be in full bloom again and thereby repeating the glory days that put Nigerian athletes in the bright spot of international athletics.

The former Africa Athletics president stated this when he came on a visit to Nigeria to receive a Doctorate Degree from the University of Port Harcourt recently. Diack, who says he use to come to Nigeria at least two to three times in a year, advised Nigerians to make full use of the HPC as according to him, he is keen in seeing Nigeria and Africans occupying and winning the relays and shot sprints in future.

“Nigeria is one country that is very strong when it comes to athletics in Africa and I believe with the setting up of the High Performance center here in Nigeria, I hope the center will be fully utilized when operational so that the past heroic of Nigerian athletes will come back to the fore.

“I love Nigeria, I come here two to three times in a year when I was an athlete for Senegal, I played professional football and later I started track and field.

“With the caliber of athletes Nigeria had then, their names are always a treat to others so I hope the center will be use to re-ignite that spirit in the country.”

On the activities of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria and its President, Evangelist Solomon Ogba, Diack said kudos should be give to the AFN president for is resolve to develop the sport in Nigeria, he said Ogba is among the few in Africa that really has the sport in heart.

“There is no doubt Nigeria athletics will not progress because with the man heading the Nigeria Athletics Federation, Solomon Ogba, I see changers in Nigeria athletics in the last 5 years and kudos should be give to Ogba and his board members for lifting Nigeria athletics to where it is today.
“The young man is one very few in Africa that has really turn around his country’s athletics,” he concluded.