The Nigerian Minister of Sports, John Enoh, has clarified why Nigerian cyclist Ese Ukpeseraye had to borrow a bicycle from Germany to compete in the 2024 Olympics. According to Enoh, Team Nigeria was initially only prepared to participate in a road race event for which they had made adequate preparations, including the necessary equipment.

However, two weeks before the Olympics, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) allocated additional slots to Nigeria in the Keirin and individual sprint events due to the disqualification of another country. These events required a specialized type of track bike, which would have taken months to procure and deliver after ordering.

To ensure Ukpeseraye could compete, the Nigerian Cycling Federation, with the help of her European club and a German company, secured a ‘Track Bike’ for her use at short notice. This arrangement was made to meet the specific equipment requirements for the Olympic track events.

The Minister’s explanation came after social media posts by Ukpeseraye caused confusion, as she revealed she had to borrow a bicycle to compete. Enoh emphasized that the situation was a result of unexpected circumstances, and efforts were made to enable her participation despite the challenges.