Nebedum Wants Ex-athletes to Administer Sports

 

Nebedum, who participated in the maiden National Sports Festival in Lagos in 1973, told newsmen in Lagos that the athletes understood sports better than civil servants.

The former athlete, who represented East Central State in volleyball, basketball and athletics at the Games, said this while assessing the progress made so far in the development of sports through the festival.

She noted that in football, ex-players who had handled technical positions had done better, while those who set up football academies had discovered talents.

``Ex-athletes understand better than those who lack the first hand experience of the challenges of a sport because they have the experience to tackle challenges and deliver,” she said.

Nebedum said that it was the people who have practised a particular sport that could actually know the deficiencies and remedies to the problems affecting the sport’s development.

``It is time we stop paying lip service, stop being sentimental and appoint ex-athletes into administrative and technical positions in the sports they have practised, so as to move sports development forward,’’ Nebedum said.

According to her, opportunities should be given to ex-athletes to contribute their quota, give back to the society and pass their experiences on to upcoming athletes, to develop sports.

On the Games’ objective, Nebedum, who took part in various ball games in the 70’s, said the festival had lost its value.

She blamed it on lack of commitment by the National Sports Commission (NSC) and poor facilities.

``Without mincing words, the sports ministry is not really passionate about sustaining the purpose of festival and this has affected sports development,’’ she said.

Nebedum implored the NSC to restore the glory of the festival by concentrating on school sports, to develop sports at the grassroots.

``Nigeria is blessed with talents in all sports but it can only manifest when they are developed from the grassroots and given the opportunity to exhibit their skill at festivals,’’ she said.

Nebedum added that the future of sports in Nigeria was with young talents who were usually discovered in the Games.