Olopade: IJA to Bridge Gap Between Grassroots Sports and Elite Competition

The Director-General of the National Sports Commission, Chief Bukola Olopade, has unveiled a transformative initiative aimed at closing the gap between grassroots sports and elite competition in Nigeria.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 22nd National Sports Festival, tagged “Gateway Games 2024,” held at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena, Olopade introduced the Invited Junior Athletes (IJA) programme, describing it as a game-changing move in the country’s sports development.

According to him, IJA, which competes as the symbolic 38th state at the festival, is not just a new programme but a strategic platform to identify, nurture, and elevate young talent to national and international levels.

“About 90 percent of the athletes representing IJA are under 17 and were selected from the 2023 Youth Games in Asaba. They are already champions in their own right. If even one of them wins a bronze medal here, they immediately move into the elite cadre. That’s history, that’s transformation,” Olopade said.

He added that any medal-winning athlete under IJA would automatically qualify for the NSC Athlete Grant, designed to support athletes in preparation for global events like the 2028 Olympics and the Commonwealth Games.

Olopade emphasized that the initiative was a long-overdue step in correcting Nigeria’s long-standing failure to effectively connect local sports talent to the international stage.

“With IJA, we’re getting it right,” he said.