SPAN Laments Nigeria’s Poor Performance at Paris Olympics

SPAN Laments Nigeria’s Poor Performance at Paris Olympics

… Calls for Optimization of Athletes’ Well-being

The 37th Annual National Conference of the Sports Psychology Association of Nigeria (SPAN) has come to a close, with a call for sports stakeholders to prioritize the optimization of athletes’ performance and well-being in the 21st century.

The four-day conference, held at the National Institute for Sport, Surulere-Lagos, from August 12th to 16th, 2024, brought together sports psychologists, coaches, and stakeholders from across the nation and beyond.

The conference theme, “Optimising Athletes Performance and Well Being: Challenges for Sports Stakeholders in the 21st Century,” was explored through keynote addresses, lead papers, and plenary sessions.

Professor Clement Oluwaseun Fasan, the keynote presenter, highlighted the dismal performance of Team Nigeria at the 2024 Paris Olympics, attributing it to a lack of attention to athletes’ well-being and welfare. He emphasized the need for robust synergy among sports stakeholders to prioritize athletes’ well-being.

Professor Seun Omotayo, the lead paper presenter, echoed similar sentiments, stressing the importance of managing both success and failure in athletes. He advocated for a pragmatic approach to sports psychology, considering athletes’ well-being even in retirement.

In his opening remarks, the Chairman of Main Organizing Committee, Prof. Ibrahim Laro Abubakar, called for collaboration in the areas of curriculum exchange, postgraduate students training and the review of certification process for experts in the area of Exercise Science and Sports Psychology. He suggested that postgraduate students should explore the opportunity of spending a full semester for specialized training at National Institute for Sports.

The conference also witnessed the investiture of three eminent members as fellows of the association: Prof. Olanrewaju Adeola Ipinmoroti, Prof. Olufemi Adegbola Adegbesan, and Prof. Stephen Sana’ah Hamafyelto.

Elections were held, and a new executive council was inaugurated, with Prof. Olufemi Adegbesan as the new President.

The conference resolved that:

– Optimization of athletes’ performance is best achieved through a robust welfare program during training, competitions, and after competitions.
– Nigeria’s performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics would have been better if sports psychologists were part of the team.
– The services of sports psychologists should not be delayed, and early commencement of trainings and planning towards the next available competitions is recommended.
– Synergy among all sports and allied associations should be rekindled.
– The course outlines of Psychology of Coaching in various institutions should be reviewed and harmonized.
– Coaches should not assume the roles of sports psychologists in training and competition.
– Recreational activities shall be introduced into subsequent conferences for participants.
– The 38th SPAN Conference will be held and hosted by the University of Ibadan.

The conference communiqué drafting committee was chaired by Dr. Aderonmu Kehinde Adebayo.

By PRNigeria