17th NSF: Lagos Assures Athletes On Equipment, Welfare

Lagos State athletes training for the 17th National Sports Festival scheduled for next month in Port Harcourt have been assured of modern equipment and improved welfare package.

Kally Isaac-Agogo, Head Coach, Lagos State Sports Council, gave the assurance in an interview with newsmen at the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Centre, Yaba.

He said that the council was not losing sleep over the twin issues which, he said, needed urgent attention for the state to perform well at the biennial fiesta.

Isaac-Agogo said the issues were also responsible for poaching of athletes by other states.

He said the council had forwarded a budget for the sports festival to the state government for approval.

He added that the state would take delivery of modern equipment like weight babels, wheelchairs and judo mats before the end of the month for the athletes to train with.

On the issue of welfare, he said: “The sports council has presented a case to the government, I believe the government will look into it.”

“Because if other states are doing it, Lagos will realise it, even if they give half of what other states are giving, I believe athletes running to other states will stay.”

“Government has released money to buy equipment needed, especially wrestling, judo mats, weight babels and wheelchairs,’’ he said.

The chief coach also assured the athletes that they would get their allowances even before they leave Lagos for Port Harcourt.

He said that the open camp, which began on May 9, had suffered a hiccup of a low turnout due to the long distance some athletes had to travel to the venue at Yaba.

He, however, said that athletes’ turnout for training had improved since Monday.

The chief coach said that the coaching department of the council had been charged with equipping the athletes with the necessary skills to enable to do well at the festival.

He stated that the state would not join others to induce athletes with financial gains to cover up its inadequacies.

Isaac-Agogo boasted that the state was grooming its athletes to stardom, saying the exceptionally good ones could only be assisted in their educational or vocational studies.

A 645-man contingent comprising 537 athletes and 108 officials will represent the state at the festival holding from June 27 to July 11.