Rivers State Commissioner for Sports, Chris Green has lamented poaching at the 21st National Sports Festival, which ends in Asaba, Delta State on Saturday (today).
Green stated this after Rivers a wrestler claimed a hard-fought victory over an Edo opponent in the men’s wrestling final on Friday at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Stephen Keshi Stadium to claim the gold medal.
The former NFF board member was pleased with the gold medal but used the opportunity to kick at the rampant poaching at sports festivals by states.
“When I came in as sports commissioner, I didn’t find any athlete, so, we decided to rebuild. A lot of our athletes had been poached, and we didn’t know they had been poached by Delta and some other states, but that is it, which is one of the things I don’t like,” he said.
Green urged the different states to build talents from the grassroots.
“If we want to continue with the festival this way, the objective of the festival will not be achieved. That is why I keep saying they should go back home, all the athletes should have at least a minimum of five years residency in the states they represent in the competition, so, this can bolster unity in the states,” he said.
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