…Enugu Athletes Skip Training

Following the removal of fuel subsidy, athletes in Enugu have complained that the increase in transport fares has affected their training routine.

Some of the said at the weekend that they could no longer meet up the early morning training sessions from their various homes to the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium due to the increase.

Blaze Udeh, the Enugu State Boxing Chief Coach, said: “The situation has affected my athletes because some of them come from far places.

“It affects the exercise generally because you reserve the one you can use to come training in the evening, you don’t have enough and you can’t trek from where you are living.

“Except you are living nearer to the stadium that you can trek, but if you not living nearer, If can’t trek, if you trek what will you eat after everything, that is the problem. So, we are pleading to overnment to do something about it.”

Franklin Ekwereike, the state taekwondo assistant coach, said very few athletes still had the ability to come for regular training.

“Because of the transport problem some could not find their way to the stadium. Some of them that have bike could not afford to the price of fuel now.

“Invariably it is affecting the training because almost in all the departments of the game you see one or two persons which cannot make them train well because the number is not complete.”

Also reacting, Uchenna Eziokwu, a senior coach with the state ministry of youth and sports, said he trekked from Abakpa Nike, a satellite town to Enugu to meet up with the morning training.

“I cannot pay N200 transport to and fro the stadium. It is really a difficult situation. I believe it is the same to the few athletes here.

“Government should urgently do something because sports is all about movement from one place to another.”

Christian Chukwu, a boxer, said: “I was the only person who came for training this morning. My contemporaries could not make it because they cannot afford the transport fare.’’

Very few sports men and women trained in the stadium at the weekend unlike in the past when the place brimmed over with athletes.