By; AYO OJEDOKUN, Lagos.
President General of Nigeria Football and other Sports Supporters’ Club, Dr Rafiu OLadipo has blamed Nigerian sports administrators for the dwindling fortune facing the country’s sports warning that something serious need to be done to arrest the ugly situation.
He told New Nigerian Sports in an exclusive interview where he accused the administrators of not doing enough to encourage athletes which has led to the dismal performance of the country at international competitions.
According to him, the country is blessed with abundant talents who can compete favourably with their counterparts from other countries of the world but they are not getting enough encouragement to excel.
“Members of my club and indeed all Nigerians are not happy with the way our sport is going down. Sport is the only unifying factor that brings Nigerians from all tribes, language and religion together and if our sport is not doing well, it should be a concern to all of us.
“This country boosts of talented athletes who can do us proud but they are not being encouraged by the administrators who rather kept on urging them to win medals even without proper preparation’, he Explained.
He stated that there is need for Nigeria to emulate other countries who, once they discover an athlete, take proper care of him and ensure he is developed to become world champion.
“One will be tempted to ask what the administrators are doing to develop the country’s sports and improve athletes who develop their talents on their own instead of urging them to win laurels. In other countries it is not done that way because once they discover a budding athlete, the government of that country will provide everything for him, including scholarship and start monitoring his training until he gets to stardom”, he noted.
On the speculated return of goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama to the national team, he described it as a welcome development, insisting that the former Super Eagles Captain save-hands will come with a lot of experience especially now that the team will be facing Zambia, Cameroon and Algeria in the Russia 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
“I am happy with the decision of the Super Eagles technical adviser, Germot Rohr to invite Vincent Enyeama to the national team because he has the experience and confidence required for the World Cup qualifiers”, Oladipo concluded.
