Age Fraud and Poor Infrastructure Undermine Nigerian Sports Development, Says CHAMPS Organizer
The Operations and Head of Resources Manager at Making of Champions, Moshood Hassan, has identified age falsification and inadequate sports infrastructure as significant challenges hindering the development of athletics in Nigeria. Hassan, whose organization co-hosted the MTN CHAMPS competition, made these remarks on the sidelines of the event's finals at the Lekan Salami Stadium over the weekend.
Grassroots Talent Discovery Platform
He explained that the initiative, launched in 2023 by MTN Nigeria in partnership with Making of Champions, was designed as a grassroots athletics talent discovery platform aimed at nurturing young Nigerians into future global champions. According to Hassan, while the program has recorded steady growth across its four seasons, age manipulation remains a persistent challenge threatening its integrity.
"This competition is about developing athletics in Nigeria and providing a clear pathway for young talents to grow and eventually represent the country at the highest level, including the Olympics," he said.
Infrastructure Constraints Limit Venue Options
Hassan noted that the competition, which has been hosted in different regions of the country, including Calabar, Jos, and Ibadan, was structured to give athletes nationwide access to opportunities, regardless of location. However, he lamented that the lack of adequate sporting facilities has limited venue options, forcing organizers to repeatedly use a few available locations.
"Our first event was in Calabar, then Jos, and now Ibadan. The idea is to ensure regional inclusion, but infrastructure constraints mean we sometimes have to return to the same venues. This is our third time in Ibadan in four years, not by choice, but due to limited alternatives," he added.
Age Falsification as a Serious Threat
Beyond infrastructure, Hassan described age falsification as a "serious threat" to fair competition, noting that some athletes deliberately compete in lower age categories to gain an advantage. The MTN CHAMPS competition features four categories—Cadet (Under-14), Youth (Under-17), Junior (Under-20), and Senior (20 and above)—making accurate age classification critical to its credibility.
"You may find athletes who are older attempting to compete in younger categories. This undermines fairness and the essence of talent development," he emphasized.
Developing a Centralized Database
To tackle the issue, Hassan disclosed that organizers are developing a centralized database to track athletes' records over time, allowing for better monitoring and detection of inconsistencies. "We are building a system that tracks athlete registrations and progression. It is not perfect yet, but it is improving, and we are committed to strengthening it to safeguard the integrity of the competition," he said.
Impact and National Development
Despite the challenges, Hassan maintained that the initiative remains impactful, citing the satisfaction of seeing young athletes progress through the ranks and represent Nigeria at higher levels. "This work goes beyond livelihood. It is about contributing to national development. Watching these young athletes grow and succeed gives us confidence that we are shaping the future of Nigerian sports," he concluded.
