ABSTRACT
This study examined the perceived administrative constraints among the operators of the National Sports Commission, in the development of sports in Nigeria. To achieve the purpose of this study, ex-post facto design was adopted. The population for the study comprised of selected staff from the Directorate Cadre of the National Sports Commission, Presidents and Board Members of Sports Federations. Included also, are Commissioners and Directors of Sports in the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory. The entire population for the study was 385. In over five decades of sports administration in Nigeria, the general opinion of Nigerians is that the level of sports development is not commensurate to the resources being expended by the government of Nigeria in the sector. The work considered therefore the perception of stakeholders in sport about the frequent changes in the administrative structure, including leadership, amongst others, that militate against the development of sports in Nigeria. These factors were examined to establish those factors, perceived as constraints to the development of sports in Nigeria. The data collected for the work were statistically analyzed using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation (std) to test and analyze bio-data variables and to answer research questions; Inferential statistics of chi-square was used to test all stated hypotheses with a view to either accept or reject each null hypothesis. The level of significance was set at 0.05. The major findings from the study showed that frequent change of leadership, capacity building of staff, bureaucracy, Non implementation of sports policy, funding, inadequate modern sports facilities and equipment constrained the development of sports in Nigeria. The researcher recommended among others that there should be stability of leadership structure in Nigerian sports organizations to allow leaders to complete drawn up programmes. Staff should be regularly sent on training both within and outside the country to enhance their capacity building and situate them to deliver on their job schedules effectively. Unnecessary bureaucratic structures in the management of sports in Nigeria should be removed. The sports policy document should be implemented from start to its logical conclusion to pave way for maximum development of sports in all ramifications.