African talent is fueling the medal table of Europeans and Asians at the Olympics

The Olympic Games in Paris They gave medals to countries whose representatives came from other countries, many of them African. Talent moves away from the place where it was born one day in search of better conditions and valuable professional projection.

Nigeria either Kenya They are part of the countries that have suffered this particular “brain drain” in different sports disciplines, as seen in recent weeks in Paris.

From Nigerian Yemisi Ogunleyewho represented Germany in the shot put and won gold, in Kenyan Winfred Yaviwhich preceded the 3,000 meter steeplechase under the Bahraini flag.

“She ran and beat our (Kenyan) girls. We lost the medal (for Kenya) in favor of our girl (Yavi),” he commented in an interview with EFE. Patrick Macauthe Kenyan athlete who broke the world record at the Berlin Marathon in 2011.

He remembers that during his years of competition, there were not many athletes looking for professional opportunities outside their country.

In addition to Yavi’s case, eight other Kenyan athletes from different modalities rewarded the countries they defended on the track with Olympic metals.

The former Makau marathoner and coach added: “Our glory comes from athletics, but for our athletes to compete representing other countries means we lose our glory as a nation.”

A professional race with better conditions

The motivations of athletes to change flags are, in many cases, professional projection, the use of more advanced infrastructure or significant investment in the sport.

“They face heavy taxes in their countries of origin, unlike what happens in other regions, especially in the Middle East,” he added in a conversation with EFE. Jude Titusformer Kenyan sports journalist.

Furthermore, “the rewards offered to athletes in other countries are higher compared to African countries.”

Titus emphasized that investment should be made in improving training facilities and creating academies to train young talents.

The investment in sports planned for the 2024-2025 season in Kenya is 16.5 billion shillings (about 112.2 million euros), according to Kenyan Finance Minister Njuguna Ndung’u.

But this disbursement and of companies like Nikewhich allocated 1.8 million dollars (approximately 1.63 million euros) in 2016 to provide equipment and support to athletes with few resources in Kenya, has fallen against the wall of corruption.

The former president of Kenya Athletics Federation (AK) Isaiah Kiplagat and Secretary-General David Okeyo were charged with corruption for mishandling these funds.

Julien di Mariasports coach and partner of Kenyan athlete Joan Chelimo, who chose to develop his career in Romania, emphasizes in an interview with EFE the need for African countries to focus on fighting corruption and improving the integrity of their sports program.

“For there to be a change towards a more athlete-centered approach,” he maintains.

International projection or retention of talent

For his part, the AK vice president, Paul Mutwibelieves that there are too many Kenyan athletes, according to statistics: more than the country can give the opportunity to compete.

“We have no problem with Yavi getting a gold medal for another country. It doesn’t mean she is better than our three girls; she just had the luck to be in better shape that day than them,” he explained, referring to the athletes who represented Kenya in the test: Beatrice Chepkoech, Rhonex Kipruto and Beatrice Chebet.

Di Maria acknowledges that the success of African athletes in other countries can be a loudspeaker to showcase the talent overflowing the continent.

“They act as ambassadors, promote their heritage and often contribute to their communities through mentoring and development programs,” he said.

But the ideal is for Africa to retain its talent, Di Maria lamented.

“By focusing on the development and retention of their sports talents, African countries can change the dynamics of this phenomenon and position themselves as powers on the global sports scene,” he concluded.