The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN, Ondo Chapter, has appealed to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to, as a matter of urgency, declare a state of emergency in the sports sector of the state.
While lamenting the dwindling fortunes of sports in the state, SWAN expressed concern that it is gradually slipping into comatose.
A statement issued by the Chairman of SWAN in the state, Segun Giwa, and his Secretary, Joseph Adesuyan, said a continuous delay in the upgrade of the Ondo State Sports Complex has adversely impacted the training of athletes for competitions.
According to the sports writer’s leadership, there have been recent complaints of lack of funds and attention for other sports like basketball, volleyball, hockey, and handball, among others.
The association also raised eyebrows that the state-owned football team Sunshine Stars now plays all their matches in the Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL, away from their original home ground in Akure Stadium, hence plunging the club into relegation scares.
The statement read, “Sunshine Stars’ journey within the second week of December had been very rough, travelling around the country in a spate of seven days with a rickety bus.
“They played in Ikenne, Ogun State, penultimate Saturday, back to Akure on Sunday, and hit the road again on Monday to honour their rescheduled match day 13 against Enyimba International in Aba. They journeyed back to Akure on Thursday and arrived in Minna on Saturday afternoon to face a much-improved Niger Tornadoes the following day.
“In the same vein, the National Sports Festival beckons, yet there is no artificial track, good indoor sports hall, or healthy swimming pool to train athletes from the State.
“As a critical sports stakeholder in Ondo State, we passionately appeal to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, as a matter of urgency, to declare a state of emergency on government sporting facilities in the state for a quick turnaround of results.”
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