The Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, has clarified why Nigerian cyclist Ese Ukpeseraye borrowed a bicycle from the German cycling team for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
On August 8, Ese Ukpeseraye shared on social media that due to short notice, she was provided a bicycle by the German team to compete in the Keirin and Sprint events. Despite her efforts, she finished sixth and did not advance. The post drew criticism from Nigerians, who accused the government of causing Ukpeseraye embarrassment.
In a statement released late Thursday, Minister Enoh clarified that Ukpeseraye was not initially slated to compete in the events requiring the specialized bike. He explained, “My attention has been called to a post on social media by Ese Ukpeseraye. After reading the post and some follow-up comments, I swung into action. Ese’s post seems to have been grossly misunderstood, perhaps also because it didn’t seem to give proper context to the matter in perspective. It is important I make some clarifications.”
Enoh outlined that Team Nigeria had initially qualified for only one road race, and preparations were made accordingly. It was only two weeks before the Olympics, after the team had already departed, that the International Cycling Union (UCI) allocated additional slots to Nigeria due to the disqualification of another country. “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,” Enoh said. He noted that this additional slot required a different type of equipment, specifically a track bike approved for the Olympic games.
Enoh further explained that acquiring the specialized bike would have taken months, making it impossible to obtain one on short notice. Therefore, Ukpeseraye’s team, in collaboration with a German company, procured a suitable bike for her use.
The Minister concluded by noting that Ese Ukpeseraye is set to compete in the individual sprint race on August 9, which was the event she originally qualified for.
