THE Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has called on authorities in charge of Nigerian sports to begin preparation for Tokyo 2020 Olympics now.

Speaker House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara fielding questions from State House Correspondents after closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja

Dogara, who took stock of Nigeria’s outing at the just concluded Rio Olympic Games in Brazil, said the country should learn to embark on early preparation ahead of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan.

He however, declared that the solitary bronze medal won by Team Nigeria, at the just ended Rio Olympics Games in Brazil was worth a gold medal.
Speaking against the backdrop of happenings in sports and the Nigerian delegation to the Games, Dogara noted that the downturn in the economy affected the team but praised the resilience of the Samson Siasia-tutored side for braving the odds to come home with a medal. He congratulated the team for showing the true Nigerian spirit and said he will make contacts for possible reward for the team.

Dogara, who has been in the forefront of support for the team also praised Team Nigeria for the scandal-free performance even when medal expectations were not met.