Seigha Porbeni, the head coach of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, has expressed his concerns regarding the increasing number of marathon events being held in Nigeria. He argues that Nigerian athletes are not suited for long-distance races. Over the past seven years, Nigeria has hosted numerous marathon races across various states, with East African athletes frequently dominating the male and female categories. Porbeni criticized the event organizers for facilitating competitions where Nigerian athletes are unlikely to secure the major prize money.
Porbeni stated, “We are not a marathon nation and we can never become a marathon nation. Our muscular design is not made for long distances. We are round blood, round muscle type, suited for dynamic and short races, jumps, and hurdles. Those are the areas where we excel.” He elaborated on the differences in muscle types, explaining that long-distance runners possess what he calls “white muscle type,” which allows for slower starts and sustained endurance due to their ability to burn oxygen slowly. He emphasized that Nigerian athletes do not have this type of muscle.
Furthermore, Porbeni called for a reevaluation of the marathon events, questioning why they should host races where foreign athletes compete for the $50,000 prize money when Nigerian athletes have little chance of winning. He suggested that instead of inviting stronger foreign competitors, Nigeria should organize athletic events that would allow local athletes to succeed and earn the prize money. “We are not interested in seeing an Ethiopian winning our money when we are hungry people here in Nigeria,” he remarked. He urged organizers to focus on promoting local talent from regions such as Jos, Lagos, Ondo, Edo, and Delta, allowing them the opportunity to compete for the prize money.
Porbeni also lamented the poor treatment of Nigerian athletes, who often have to cover their own transportation costs to participate in these races. He criticized the disparity in treatment, where foreign athletes receive better accommodations while local competitors are neglected. “You are bringing Ethiopians to come and take our money and you put them in a decent hotel, then you treat your own nationals poorly and you say you are promoting athletics; I don’t believe in that,” he concluded.
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