The National Sports Commission of Nigeria (NSC) has begun efforts to hire at least three Cuban athletics coaches, due to dissatisfaction with the performance of local coaches in disciplines such as hurdles and long jump.
Cuban specialists would work directly in Nigeria with the aim of the 2027 World Athletics Championship in Beijing, China, and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, according to a report on Tuesday by the Nigerian newspaper The Guardian.
The initiative emerged after an analysis conducted by the sports authorities regarding the work of the technical department of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).
A source close to the NSC cited by The Guardian stated that there is discontent over what authorities consider insufficient technical preparation and, in particular, the difficulty in developing local athletes who can excel in certain specialties.
"Cubans are very skilled in those disciplines, and the NSC is acting quickly to ensure that at least three of them start working immediately," the source stated.
Among the main concerns is the long jump. Nigeria's men's national record remains in the hands of Yusuf Alli, who reached 8.27 meters in 1989, a mark that has stood for over three decades.
According to the source, the intention is for Cuban coaches to settle in Nigeria and work directly with the country's athletes, rather than limiting themselves to occasional consultations.
"I am sure that the coaches of the AFN will not like this agreement, but the National Sports Commission wants to revitalize the technical department of the AFN in order to achieve better results," he added.
Cuba, a reference in hurdles and jumps
The search for specialists on the island is related to the tradition of Cuban athletics in technical events such as hurdles and jumping.
One of his most recognized coaches was Santiago Antúnez, who was responsible for training several generations of Cuban hurdlers and was named Coach of the Year by the IAAF in 2010.
Among the athletes under his guidance were Anier García, Olympic champion in the 110 meters hurdles at the Sydney 2000 Games, and Dayron Robles, champion in Beijing 2008 and former world record holder.
Cuba has also achieved historic results in the long jump. Iván Pedroso dominated the event for much of the 1990s and won the Olympic title in Sydney 2000, along with multiple world championships.
Cuban coaches have already worked in Nigeria
The sports cooperation between Havana and Abuja has institutional precedents. Both governments signed a sports cooperation agreement in 2006 and have maintained exchanges in this area over the past two decades.
The sending of coaches has been part of Cuba's policy for exporting sports services for many years. According to official figures, INDER has signed 186 cooperation agreements with 113 countries.
These missions have also raised questions about the conditions under which some professionals are sent abroad. Recently, Cubans assigned to African countries reported difficult working and living conditions.
At the moment, the hiring of the three Cuban technicians has not been officially announced.
At the moment, the hiring of the three Cuban technicians has not been officially announced, and the information regarding the negotiations comes from a source close to the NSC cited by The Guardian.
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