2016 NYG: States, sports federations not doing enough to develop sports, says Are

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Ademola Are, Director of Grassroots Sports Development, Ministry of Youths and Sports, has accused sports federations and state governments of not doing enough to develop sports in the country.

Are who spoke to sports journalists on Wednesday at the ongoing National Youth Games (NYG) tasked sport federations and state governments on developmental programmes.

He said finance was not always the major cause of under performance at international tournaments but bad preparations, adding that it was high time we went back to school sports.

“Sports is not magic,for you to erase one second in 100m, it might take two to three years; so, it is a gradual process.

“If the federations are doing what they ought to do, we won’t be where we are today because most federations do not have developmental programmes.

“All they wait for is the All Africa Games, Commonwealth Games, National Sports Festival and National Youth Games. They do not have programmes to keep their athletes busy throughout the year.

“And the state governments are also not helping matters as their is hardly a state in Nigeria that we have state sports festival. So, how do athletes improve with this?,” Are said.

“We must ensure that we go back to school sports and states must do its own work because Federal government cannot be everywhere.

“Let the states do their bit, local government should also do theirs, then the federal government will be the harvester of all these talents to bring them together for further grooming.

“We can only advise because a school established without sports facilities should not be approved by the state government. so, state governments are also guilty of killing sports in the country,” he said.

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