Olopade Arrives Aberdeen Camp, Receives Team Nigeria Athletes Ahead of Commonwealth Games 2026 at Glasgow
Oru Leonard
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC) and Chef de Mission of Team Nigeria to the 2026 Commonwealth Games, Hon. Bukola Olopade, has arrived at the country’s pre-Games training camp in Aberdeen, Scotland, where he welcomed athletes, coaches and officials as preparations intensify for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
During his visit, Olopade inspected the camp’s training facilities and accommodation, expressing satisfaction with the arrangements put in place to ensure Nigerian athletes have the best possible environment to prepare for the competition.
He reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to an athlete-centred approach, stressing that adequate preparation remains critical to success on the international stage.
“We are here because preparation is everything. Our athletes deserve the very best environment to train, recover and compete, and that is exactly what we have provided in Aberdeen. We want every member of Team Nigeria to remain focused because the nation believes in them, and we are confident they will make Nigeria proud in Glasgow,” he said.
Olopade added that the NSC had made deliberate efforts to eliminate avoidable distractions to enable athletes and coaches focus entirely on performance.
“Our responsibility is to eliminate every avoidable distraction and allow our athletes and coaches to concentrate fully on performance. We have planned meticulously, and I am pleased with what I have seen since arriving at the camp. The atmosphere is excellent, the facilities are first-class, and the athletes are in high spirits,” he added.
As of Friday night, 54 Nigerian athletes had arrived at the Aberdeen training camp, with more athletes and officials expected over the weekend.
Among those received by the NSC Director General were team captain and multiple Paralympic gold medallist Folashade Oluwafemiayo, sprinter Favour Ashe and Patience George-Okon.
The Aberdeen camp was selected to provide Team Nigeria with optimal conditions for acclimatisation, technical preparation and recovery ahead of the Games.
The Nigerian contingent is expected to spend the next three weeks in camp before departing for Glasgow, where the 2026 Commonwealth Games will be held from July 23 to August 2. The Games are expected to feature about 3,000 athletes from across the Commonwealth competing in 10 sports.
Aberdeen is Scotland’s third-largest city, located on the northeast coast of the country where the Rivers Dee and Don meet the North Sea. It is often called the “Granite City” because many of its historic buildings were constructed from locally quarried grey granite that sparkles in sunlight.
It is a good choice for training because the city has excellent training facilities and is often used by international teams preparing for competitions. Its modern sports infrastructure, relatively quiet environment, and mild summer weather make it a suitable pre-event training base.
