'Why Britain is collecting biometrics of Nigerian athletes'

By Eno-Abasi Sunday

THE second session of the biometric data collection from the Nigerian delegation to the London Olympic Games comes up on Thursday at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

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It will be the second time the exercise, which is at the instance of the British High Commission, will be taking place in a week. While the first in Lagos was for athletes from the southern part of the country, the Abuja exercise will be for athletes from the north as well as those that could not participate in the first.

Over the past year, the High Commission had a series of events to mark milestones in the countdown to London 2012. The latest coincided with the provision of biometric facilities to Nigerian Olympic athletes, who have qualified for the forthcoming Games.

At the event, this category of athletes and their London- bound officials had their images and fingerprints captured with a view to procuring their Local Organising Committee (LOCOC) cards. Every athlete and Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) official must be in possession of a LOCOC card, without which he/she cannot gain entry to the United Kingdom for the London 2012 Olympics

However, the collection of biometrics means that the affected athletes do not need to visit the High Commission for visa application. In other words, they have completed their Olympic visa application process. Among other things, the exercise has put paid to the issue of these athletes and officials applying for their visas late as well as reduced the potential flow of human traffic when the rush for visa applications for the Games begins.

According to NOC President, Sani Ndanusa, the biometrics collection exercise remains a very vital requirement in the accreditation process for the Games. He explained that other Team Nigeria members, who did not have the opportunity to undertake the exercise in Lagos, would have their day when the exercise takes place in Abuja on Thursday.

British Deputy High Commissioner, Peter West, said at the event: "Taking the biometrics today is of course to help everyone prepare to come to London. We want to make such processes as straightforward as possible. But we need athletes and visitors to help us also by planning ahead and submitting visa applications as early as possible and completing applications properly.

"We are here at the stadium today to provide biometric facilities to those Nigerian Olympic athletes who train at this venue and to accompanying officials from the Nigerian Olympic Committee."

He added: "As the only city to be awarded the Olympics three times, we'll be holding the Games in a great tradition."