Inadequate Facilities, Bane Of Nigerian Athletes

A U.S.-based Nigerian sprinter, Noah Akwu, has blamed his stay abroad on inadequate training facilities in the country.

Akwu, who does the 200 and 400 metres, told newsmen that inadequate facilities had forced many Nigerian athletes to stay abroad.

The athlete, who is participating in the ongoing Africa Athletics Championships in the Republic of Benin, also described the dearth of sporting facilities as a major setback to sports development in Nigeria.

“Some athletes like me decided to stay outside the shores of Nigeria because of the inadequate training facilities.

“Nigeria lacks some basic training facilities in some sports, and that is a major setback for both the country and the athletes,” he said.

Akwu said that the country was blessed with the best set of coaches in certain sports worldwide, and that they only required consistent training to excel.

Also speaking with newsmen, Ken Onuaguluchi, a coach in javelin and discus, noted that inadequate facilities had greatly hampered sports development in the country.

“The inadequacy of standard facilities has hindered the development of fine athletes in the country,” Onuaguluchi said.

He blamed Nigeria’s decline in some field events such as javelin on the poor facilities available for the sport.