President of the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC) Habu Gumel remains confident of Team Nigeria to return home with medals from the Beijing Olympics as Nigerians expressed pessimism over the contingent, reported by the Tribune newspaper.

Gumel said Nigerian athletes were fully prepared for the Beijing Games, adding that the NOC had played its part in ensuring that the country did well at the Games.

"Our advance team has been in Beijing putting finishing touches to the arrival of the contingent. We now have the keys to the games village where they would stay and every thing is set," he said.

According to him, the athletes should have the will to win. "If they are able to develop that, winning spirit, nothing would stop us from coming home with over 10 medals," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency August 7, 2008)