The recent award ceremony organised by Rivers State Government at the Alfred Diete Spiff athletes and coaches who won medals at the 16th National Sports Festival held in Kaduna tagged “KADA 2009” has started to receive mixed reactions. In his reactions, John Senibo, popularly known as Big John who featured in boxing event said that the value of the reward from the government would only discourage athletes in the state. According to him, it is far below the expectations of the athletes. “As far as I am concerned, this award or reward, anything they chose to call it, is discouraging because it is far below the expectations of the athletes, after all, most states who gave much more to their athletes are not as rich as our state”, he said. Big John added the most painful part was that government deliberately neglected and refused to reward those that did not win medals after all the sufferings most athletes went through in Kaduna . “It is very painful and annoying that the state ignored those who participated in the festival. It is not fair at all, at least they would have given them something, no matter how small in order to encourage them. You and I know that some persons lost their lives while competing in some of the events.” he stated. He continued that the state which is preparing to host the 17th edition of the NSF next year would have used the opportunity to encourage and motivate the athletes. Big John, who is also the state Amateur Boxing Champion used the forum to call on Sports council to provide boxing gym and kits to enable boxers train well in preparation for the NSF next year. The Chief coach of Karate Association, Kingsley Okwelle, popularly known as Grand Master, in reaction thanaked the government for fulfilling its promises. According to him, the gesture would spur the athletes to do more in subsequent competitions, especially the forthcoming sports festival. “I thanked God today and feel very happy, because government has finally rewarded the athletes that made the state proud, I know that this gesture would encourage them to do more.” He said. In his reaction, the chairman of Amatuer Atheltic Assocation (AAA) Chief Nemi Adoki, said he observed that the athletes were not happy, perhaps they felt the award ceremony was overdue and the reward too small for such a national competition. He expressed hope that the reward would encourage them to put in more effort in next year’s national sports festival to be hosted by the state. The Secretary to the State government Hon. Magnus Abe, who represented the governor at the award ceremony, advised athletes to see the reward as an appreciation for what they have done. Hon. Abe, advised them to take their sports seriously to enable them become the best in their various events. He said that what government did was to encourage them to do more. He further said that “there is no sports today that would not make you rich, so long as you are the best in that particularly event. “What government has given to you today will not make you a rich man or woman. What you need is to put in your best to make you be the best. “Those sportsmen you hear that are millionaries did not start one day they have start long ago”. he said. The athletes who were initially promised a scholarship blank cheque to any level at any part of the world especially, for gold medalists were rewarded with the cash prize of N300,000, N200,000 and N150,000 for gold, silver and bronze medal runners, respectively.

Tonye Orabere