The Nation Newspaper

Tag: gymnastics

  • COSGON president Awosika seeks govt intervention over ‘systematic decay’ in NFG

    COSGON president Awosika seeks govt intervention over ‘systematic decay’ in NFG

    The President of the Coalition of Supporters Group of Nigeria (COSGON), Professor Kunle Awosika, has raised alarm over what he described as the “systematic decay” in the Nigerian Federation of Gymnastics (NFG), also known as the Gymnastics Federation of Nigeria, urging the government to step in immediately.

    In an open letter to the media, Awosika alleged that the federation has been engulfed in leadership crises, unconstitutional tenure elongation, and election irregularities.

    He warned that the administration’s mismanagement has eroded credibility and pushed the sport to the brink of collapse.

    Read Also: Stakeholders push for reform as leadership dispute rocks Nigerian Gymnastics Federation

    “We are no longer dealing with just poor leadership. This is now about the death of a sport that once held promise for Nigeria’s Olympic ambitions,” Awosika said.

    He lamented that athletes are denied access to quality training facilities and international competitions, while grassroots development has been abandoned, leaving Nigeria lagging behind even smaller African nations in gymnastics.

    Awosika urged the Federal Ministry of Sports Development, the National Sports Commission, and the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) to urgently investigate the Federation’s activities.

    He also appealed to the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) to deploy an independent fact-finding mission to Nigeria.

    “The credibility and future of Nigerian gymnastics are at stake. The current trajectory can no longer be ignored. It is time for decisive, corrective action,” he stressed.

    COSGON further warned that if the government fails to act, it would mobilize civil society, athletes, and the sporting community for nationwide advocacy campaigns and possible legal action.

  • Stakeholders push for reform as leadership dispute rocks Nigerian Gymnastics Federation

    Stakeholders push for reform as leadership dispute rocks Nigerian Gymnastics Federation

    The Nigerian Federation of Gymnastics (NFG), also known as the Gymnastics Federation of Nigeria, is facing leadership challenges that have drawn growing attention from stakeholders in the sport.

    For the past eight years, the federation has been under the leadership of President Prince Kelvin Erhunmunse, who was recently re-elected for a third term during elections held on Saturday, September 6, 2025, in Gwarinpa, Abuja.

    Prince Kelvin described the election as peaceful and transparent, noting that delegates from 32 states, including the Federal Capital Territory, participated under the watch of representatives from the Nigeria Olympic Committee and other observers.

    However, some stakeholders expressed concern over the absence of representatives from the National Sports Commission (NSC), who had earlier recommended a postponement of the polls.

    The National Association for Physical, Health Education, Recreation, Sports, and Dance (NAPHER-SD) also raised concerns about the exclusion of key sports bodies such as NAPHER-SD, NAWIS, and paramilitary sports organizations from the process. 

    Hon. Gbenga Samson, speaking on behalf of NAPHER-SD, called for a review to ensure inclusivity in future exercises.

    Read Also: LA 2028 Olympics: NSC enlist  gymnastics sensation Onusiriuka into  elite plans

    Several petitions have since been submitted to the NSC regarding the election process, while some stakeholders urged authorities to take steps to strengthen transparency, fairness, and inclusiveness in the federation’s leadership.

    Amid these developments, many in the gymnastics community are calling for reforms that would prioritise athlete development, greater participation in international events, and improved structures for nurturing young talent.

    With petitions under review, stakeholders emphasised that the future of gymnastics in Nigeria depends on collaborative efforts, professionalism, and a renewed focus on athletes’ welfare.

    For now, the NFG remains at a critical point, with attention on the National Sports Commission and other relevant authorities to guide the next steps.

  • Gymnastics: Biles leads USA charge for women’s team gold medal

    Gymnastics: Biles leads USA charge for women’s team gold medal

    Simone Biles appears to be at the peak of her powers as she leads the United States on a redemption mission in the women’s gymnastics team final today at the Paris Olympics.

    Biles battled the disorientating mental block gymnasts call the “twisties” in Tokyo three years ago, dramatically pulling out of the team final, and the United States settled for silver behind Russia after winning back-to-back golds in 2012 and 2016.

    Biles and three other members of that Tokyo team – Sunisa Lee, Jade Carey and Jordan Chiles – made it clear that along with 16-year-old Hezly Rivera they were out for nothing less than gold in Paris.

    Biles in particular heard from internet trolls who slammed her decision to put her mental health and physical safety first in Tokyo, painting her withdrawal as letting Team USA down.

    But whatever she has to prove in Paris, she said, it’s only to herself and her teammates.

    “It has to be for us,” Biles said. “It can’t be for anybody else. We do it for ourselves and the love of the sport and the love for representing the USA.”

    The US combined for the top team score of 172.296 points in qualifying, more than five points better than European champions Italy on 166.861.

    China, with the top beam performance from Zhou Yaqin, were third-best on 166.628.

    “It was good,” coach Cecile Landi said after Biles lit up Bercy Arena in qualifying, topping the standings in all-around, vault and floor exercise, and finishing second on balance beam despite tweaking her left calf and competing with her leg taped.

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    “It wasn’t perfect, but they had a good day,” said Landi, who insisted Biles’s sore calf was nothing serious.

    USA Gymnastics had said Biles could opt out of some apparatus in the team final, but when they announced the line-up yesterday she was down to tackle all four. Chiles, Carey and Lee complete the Americans’ team final line-up, with Rivera sitting out.

    The qualifying scores are wiped out for the final, where each team will start from scratch.

    The format is unforgiving, with three gymnasts from each team competing on each apparatus and all scores counting toward the team total.

    Brazil, led by former all-around world champion Rebeca Andrade, qualified fourth for the team event, which will also features Japan, Canada, Great Britain and Romania.

  • Biles set for sixth world gymnastics championships

    Biles set for sixth world gymnastics championships

    Gymnastics superstar Simone Biles is set to compete at the upcoming world championships in Antwerp, Team USA has announced.

    “Simone Biles – only U.S woman in history selected to compete at six world artistic gymnastics championships” Team USA posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

    Biles has dazzled since returning to competition in August for the first time since pulling out of most of her events at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

    The four-time Olympic gold medallist has looked as brilliant as ever in two competitions last month, twice nailing her signature Yurchenko double pike, a vault so difficult that no other woman has performed it in competition.

    She won a record eighth US all-around title at the national championships to put herself in position to add to her 19 world titles at the September 30-October 8 world championships in Belgium.

    Biles said this month she would “love” to chase more gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

    The 26-year-old withdrew from most of her competitions in Tokyo two years ago after battling the “twisties,” a dangerous phenomenon in which gymnasts lose their sense of where they are in the air.

    Her decision to withdraw was hailed as a watershed moment for the issue of mental health in elite sports, and Biles reiterated this month that even as she looks toward Paris she continues to focus on her mental health.Gymnastics superstar Simone Biles is set to compete at the upcoming world championships in Antwerp, Team USA has announced.

    Read Also: Eke fails to qualify for Tokyo Games’ artistic gymnastics final

    “Simone Biles – only U.S woman in history selected to compete at six world artistic gymnastics championships” Team USA posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

    Biles has dazzled since returning to competition in August for the first time since pulling out of most of her events at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

    The four-time Olympic gold medallist has looked as brilliant as ever in two competitions last month, twice nailing her signature Yurchenko double pike, a vault so difficult that no other woman has performed it in competition.

    She won a record eighth US all-around title at the national championships to put herself in position to add to her 19 world titles at the September 30-October 8 world championships in Belgium.

    Biles said this month she would “love” to chase more gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

    The 26-year-old withdrew from most of her competitions in Tokyo two years ago after battling the “twisties,” a dangerous phenomenon in which gymnasts lose their sense of where they are in the air.

    Her decision to withdraw was hailed as a watershed moment for the issue of mental health in elite sports, and Biles reiterated this month that even as she looks toward Paris she continues to focus on her mental health.