Nigeria Boxing Federation interim president Azania Omo-Agege has accused the International Olympic Committee of discrimination against African nations through recent changes to Olympic boxing weight categories.
The NBF chief argues that the IOC’s decision to reduce boxing categories has disproportionately affected African nations’ medal prospects at the Olympics.
“This has not been very good for Africa as most of the weight categories they took out are where Africa excelled. If you check our statistics for the past Olympics, Africa was coming with about three to five medals.
“Since the new change, Africa has only been getting one to two medals as a whole continent at the Olympics. That is discrimination,” Omo-Agege told Punch.
His comments came after Africa managed just one boxing medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics, with Algeria’s Imane Khelif claiming gold in the -66kg category amid controversy over transphobic harassment and gender questions.
The reduction in weight categories has forced athletes to make drastic weight adjustments to compete, a situation Omo-Agege describes as unfair.
“Now, when they reduce the categories, you are forcing the athletes to rapidly increase or reduce weights to compete, and that is not fair; it is discriminatory,” he added.
“I am agitating for more slots where Africans have their strengths or go back to the original weight categories.”
Nigeria’s Olympic boxing struggles were evident in Paris, where their last hope, Adam Olaore, crashed out in the round of 16 of the men’s 92kg heavyweight category against Kazakhstan’s Aibek Oralbay.
The country’s campaign was further hampered by Cynthia Ogunsemilore’s doping-related disqualification and Dolapo Omole’s injury withdrawal, extending Nigeria’s Olympic boxing medal drought beyond Duncan Dokiwari’s bronze at Atlanta ‘96.
Looking ahead to Los Angeles 2028, Omo-Agege plans to revive the Nigerian Boxing League as part of a long-term development strategy.
“There is a perception that most of our boxers are from the streets. We are working to change that, and we need constant competition to do that,” he said.
The federation chief believes the introduction of prize money from the International Boxing Association will motivate boxers, adding, “Since there is prize money now from the International Boxing Association, the boxers will be encouraged to fight where they can actually earn a living.
“When we attend more competitions, it will put us in a good position to go out for international games where we can prepare ourselves for the Olympics.”
