Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, Imo State Chapter has implored the Imo State Governor, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma for the immediate release of funds meant for the Ogun 2024 National Sports Festival tagged Gateway 2024 National Sports Festival (NSF).
The Association rose from its monthly Congress to appeal to the Imo Governor for the funds to be made available to the state athletes and their officials for them to wrap up their preparations and to ensure the Eastern Heartland is not left out of this national competition aimed at discovering the stars of tomorrow.
SWAN, Imo in a press statement jointly signed by the Chairman, Cosmos Chukwuemeka and Secretary, Tunde Liadi called on Governor Uzodinma to facilitate the immediate release of the necessary funds for both athletes and accompanied officials so that Imo State will not be left out of Nigeria’s mini Olympic Games.
The Sports Writers in the state look with utmost dismay the quality of the sports infrastructures available for the state athletes at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri and reckoned that a lot needs to be done to give the edifice a new facelift beyond having the stadium’s turf fixed.
The Association commends Imo athletes and their officials for braving the odds to make use of the facilities available to them to prepare for the National Sports Festival where they may be exposed to more quality sports facilities and equipment but the body is beckoning on the State Government to move swiftly to ensure the funds are released for them to honour their state.
The performances of Team Imo have dwindled in the last three National Sports Festival where the team placed 18th at the Abuja 2018 NSF with just 5 gold, 3 Silver and 13 Bronze medals for a total of 21 medals. It was not different at Edo 2020 NSF where the state finished 10th on the final medals table with 10 gold, 13 silver and 26 Bronze medals with 49 medals.
Team Imo representatives finished in 11th spot won 12 gold, 8 silver and 25 Bronze medals at the last National Sports Festival held in Delta State in 2023 for a total of 45 medals. The position was a step lower than the Edo 2020 NSF
Gauging Team Imo with inadequate preparations and unavailability of funds, it will be difficult for the state’s reps to perform up to expectations in Ogun 2024 National Sports Festival if nothing is done immediately.
Recently Imo SWAN expressed his dissatisfaction with the results of the Imo athletes to the maiden edition of Niger Delta Sports Festival held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State where the state finished 8th out of 9 competing states and the Association is worried that the same trend if not worse may happen in Ogun State if nothing is done to remedy the situation.
National Sports Festival takes two years to plan and Imo SWAN wants the government to take the issue of early preparations seriously so that the athletes will have longer time to prepare for the upcoming competitions be it the NSF or the National Youth Games which will be hosted later in the year. This will enable them win more laurels for the state than they would have won without adequate preparations.
The Association says sports is capital intensive and that if properly invested into, the rewards will not only come inform of medals alone but in other various forms of remunerations if properly coordinated.
