By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC) and Chef de Mission of Team Nigeria to the 2026 Commonwealth Games, Bukola Olopade, has arrived at Team Nigeria’s pre-games training camp in Aberdeen, Scotland, where he welcomed athletes, coaches and officials as they arrived for the final phase of preparations ahead of the Games.
During his visit, Olopade inspected the camp’s training facilities and accommodation, reaffirming the Commission’s commitment to providing an enabling environment for Nigerian athletes to perform at their best on the international stage.
“We are here because preparation is everything. Our athletes deserve the very best environment to train, recover and compete, and that is exactly what we have provided in Aberdeen. We want every member of Team Nigeria to remain focused because the nation believes in them, and we are confident they will make Nigeria proud in Glasgow,” he said.
Olopade added that the Commission would maintain its athlete-centred approach throughout the Games to ensure competitors remain focused on performance.
“Our responsibility is to eliminate every avoidable distraction and allow our athletes and coaches to concentrate fully on performance. We have planned meticulously, and I am pleased with what I have seen since arriving at the camp. The atmosphere is excellent, the facilities are first-class, and the athletes are in high spirits,” he said.
As of Friday night, 54 Nigerian athletes had arrived at the Aberdeen training camp, with more athletes and officials expected over the weekend.
Among those received by the NSC Director General were Team Nigeria captain and multiple Paralympic gold medallist Folashade Oluwafemiayo, alongside Favour Ashe and Patience George-Okon.
The high-performance training camp in Aberdeen was selected to provide Team Nigeria with ideal conditions for acclimatization, technical preparation and recovery before the delegation moves to Glasgow for the competition.
The Nigerian contingent will spend the next three weeks fine-tuning preparations for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, scheduled to hold in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2, 2026.
The Games are expected to feature about 3,000 athletes from across the Commonwealth competing in 10 sports.
