Joel Ajayi
The Cycling Federation of Nigeria (CFN) has dismissed allegations by Nigerian female cyclist Ese Lovina Ukpeseraye that the federation and the National Sports Commission abandoned her, insisting that substantial financial and technical support was provided to aid her development and international career.
Speaking at a press conference held at the VIP Lounge of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium on Thursday in Abuja, the CFN Board member Mr Patrick Omorodion who addressed the press, while president of the federation Giandomenico Massari and others board members joined via zoom said the briefing was convened to address what they described as “misinformation and factual inaccuracies” stemming from the athlete’s recent media interview.
The federation emphasized that the purpose of the press conference was not to engage in a public dispute with the cyclist but to set the record straight regarding the support she received over the years.
According to the federation, Ukpeseraye benefitted significantly from various development initiatives spearheaded by the CFN, particularly in the build-up to the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Mr Omorodion said much of the support was facilitated through the personal commitment and financial contributions of the CFN President, Giadomenico Massari.
He revealed that after qualifying for the Olympic road race event, Ukpeseraye was sent to Switzerland on a training scholarship designed to improve her technical skills and competitive readiness. She was also among Nigerian female cyclists sponsored to compete in international races in Italy.
Mr Omorodion stated that the athlete was sponsored to several major global competitions, including African and World Road and Track Championships as well as Union Cycliste Internationale Nations Cups hosted in Eritrea, Colombia, Egypt, France, Scotland and Morocco.
“In 2023, the federation noted that Massari facilitated Ukpeseraye’s placement with a European cycling club and personally covered the cost of her visa to Spain to help broaden her international exposure and professional development.”
The federation disclosed that the total investment made toward the development of Ukpeseraye and other cyclists exceeded ₦200 million, aimed at helping Nigerian riders compete effectively on the global stage.
He also highlighted broader efforts to revive cycling infrastructure in the country.
Under Massari’s leadership, the federation successfully secured approval from the former Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development to regain access to the Abuja Velodrome, which had previously been underutilized.
“Following the approval, the federation worked with the Confederation of African Cycling and the Union Cycliste Internationale to certify the facility for international competitions.
“As a result, Nigeria successfully hosted the African Track Cycling Championships in Abuja in 2019 and 2022, providing Nigerian cyclists valuable opportunities to compete at home while gaining international exposure.”
The federation also revealed that the CFN president recently procured two tandem bicycles for the para-cycling team and supplied key equipment to support the federation’s activities, including about 50 track bicycles, rollers, a generator, television sets, printers, laptops, refrigerators and other operational tools.
Addressing claims that Ukpeseraye was abandoned ahead of the Paris Olympics, Mr Omorodion said: “the cyclist received several forms of financial support. These included approximately ₦2.2 million as training camp allowances and about ₦6.2 million as Olympic Games allowances.
“Additionally, while the Nigeria Olympic Committee reportedly provided a $5,000 training grant, the federation said Massari personally paid €5,000 into the athlete’s account to further assist her preparations.
The federation also rejected claims that she missed the Zurich World Road Championships due to lack of support.”
CFN explained despite the fact that Ukpeseraye did not meet the qualification criteria based on the UCI women’s elite road ranking as of August 20, 2024, where she ranked behind 2 South African cyclist and did not accumulate the required points.
“President personally wrote to the UCI president on August 30, 2024, appealing for special consideration to allow the Nigerian cyclist compete in the event, although the federation did not receive a response.
CFN further noted that while Ukpeseraye initially declined an invitation to participate in the Tour du Benin, she later represented Nigeria and led the national team at the 2025 CAC Track and Para-Track Championships in Cairo, Egypt.
He stated that that under the leadership of Massari, significant progress has been made in the development of cycling in Nigeria, particularly in supporting female athletes who have performed strongly across Africa.
CFN maintained that Ukpeseraye has benefitted more than any other Nigerian cyclist due to her talent and the federation’s commitment to her growth, adding that the support from both the federation and the National Sports Commission played a major role in her achievements so far
