Sports
Why We Shut National Stadium – Oreweme
The Liaison Officer, National Sports Commission (NSC), Lagos, Tayo Oreweme, has said that lack of fund is preventing the maintenance of the tartan track at the National Stadium, Lagos.
Oreweme disclosed this yesterday in Lagos while commenting on athletes’ complaints of having no regular access to the facility for their routine training.
The athletes had earlier complained that the opening of the stadium for only two days a week, Monday and Friday, was not enough for them to train.
According to Oreweme, the athletes could have been granted regular access to train at the stadium, but that the condition of the tartan track will worsen with constant trampling.
“We cannot open the main bowl for more than two days in a week because of poor maintenance fund.
“Before training used to be three days a week, but was later reduced to two to reduce the deteriorating condition of the tracks.
“Daily training at the stadium expose it to further wear and tear without commensurate maintenance due to lack of maintenance allowance.
“We do not charge the athlete for training at the stadium because they are national athletes, instead we keep borrowing to maintain it,” she said.
She urged the athletes to bear with the commission until things improve.
The officer also urged the government to ensure adequate maintenance of its property.
Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.
The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.
We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.
Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.
It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.
Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.
The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.