In a surprising turn of events at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Nigerian cyclist Ese Ukpeseraye found herself borrowing a bicycle from the German cycling team to compete in the Keirin and Sprint events. This unexpected situation arose due to a series of last-minute changes, as explained by Nigeria’s Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh.

Initially, Ese was not supposed to participate in the race, which is why the Nigerian government hadn’t procured a bicycle for her. However, when another country was disqualified from the event, Nigeria was given the opportunity to fill the spot. This unexpected chance left Ese with no other option but to borrow a bicycle from the German team.

The Minister acknowledged that it would have been impossible to obtain a bicycle for Ese on such short notice, as ordering and receiving one can take months. Despite the challenges, Ese showed incredible sportsmanship by competing with the borrowed bicycle. Unfortunately, she did not advance to the next stage, finishing sixth in her race.

This situation sparked a wave of reactions from Nigerians, with many criticizing the government for the embarrassment caused to the athlete. However, the Minister’s explanation sheds light on the difficulties faced in such a spontaneous and unforeseen circumstance.