Nigerian Athletics Has Fallen, Laments Olympian Henry Amike
Abuja, Nigeria – June 7, 2026 – Henry Amike, a celebrated Nigerian Olympian and former national 400m hurdles champion, has expressed deep concern over the current state of Nigerian athletics, declaring that the sport has "fallen." [5, 9] Amike, who represented Nigeria at the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games, made a strong call for increased investment in athletics, improved athlete welfare, and more consistent training and competition opportunities to revive the nation's standing in track and field. [5, 6] Speaking in Abuja, Amike stated that the progress in Nigerian athletics has significantly fallen short of expectations, especially when compared to the achievements of previous generations of athletes. [5, 6] "We expected that after we left the scene, people would take over immediately, but it has taken almost 40 years before things like this are coming up. We are not happy with what we have seen in Nigerian track and field," he remarked. [5, 11]
Amike, whose national record in the 400m hurdles set in 1987 stood for 35 years until it was broken in 2022, highlighted the lack of sustained development in the sport. [3, 6] He pointed to the influence of politicians in the administration of athletics as a contributing factor to the decline. [11] The former hurdler advocated for greater involvement of experienced retired athletes in sports administration, believing their technical expertise and insights are crucial for policy formulation and institutional reforms. [6]
Amike, who is also a sports administrator and has confirmed his intention to contest for the Lagos West Senatorial District seat in 2027, recalled a time when Nigerian athletics boasted more athletes in the world's top ten and secured more podium finishes. [5, 6, 11] He lamented that the current situation reflects a broader societal degradation, where funding and proper planning for sports have become severely lacking. [10, 7]
"Sport is dead in Nigeria" was a sentiment Amike expressed previously, attributing the decline not solely to administrators or athletes, but to the societal environment. [10] He emphasized the need for early and consistent preparation for athletes to achieve success, a practice that seems to be neglected under the current system. [10] Amike urged stakeholders to invest in athletics as one of Nigeria's greatest sports, drawing a parallel between the struggles of athletics and other sectors of the nation. [7, 11]
Amike, whose national record in the 400m hurdles set in 1987 stood for 35 years until it was broken in 2022, highlighted the lack of sustained development in the sport. [3, 6] He pointed to the influence of politicians in the administration of athletics as a contributing factor to the decline. [11] The former hurdler advocated for greater involvement of experienced retired athletes in sports administration, believing their technical expertise and insights are crucial for policy formulation and institutional reforms. [6]
Amike, who is also a sports administrator and has confirmed his intention to contest for the Lagos West Senatorial District seat in 2027, recalled a time when Nigerian athletics boasted more athletes in the world's top ten and secured more podium finishes. [5, 6, 11] He lamented that the current situation reflects a broader societal degradation, where funding and proper planning for sports have become severely lacking. [10, 7]
"Sport is dead in Nigeria" was a sentiment Amike expressed previously, attributing the decline not solely to administrators or athletes, but to the societal environment. [10] He emphasized the need for early and consistent preparation for athletes to achieve success, a practice that seems to be neglected under the current system. [10] Amike urged stakeholders to invest in athletics as one of Nigeria's greatest sports, drawing a parallel between the struggles of athletics and other sectors of the nation. [7, 11]
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