19th NSF: Coach Raises Alarm Over Rivers Chances

One of the coaches with the Rivers State weight-lifting Association has raised alarm concerning the chances of the state forth coming 19th National Sports Festival, scheduled for Calabar, Cross River State next year.
The coach, who pleaded anonymity said that if something was not done urgently, the growth of sports in the state and its impact at national competitions would take a down turn.
According to him, it would be difficult for the state to sustain even its current second position at the forthcoming national sports festival because of the exodus of most of the athletes that brought glory to the state recently over incentives and allowances.
He said that most of the athletes that were used for the  “Garden City Games” and Eko 2012 had gone  in search of greener pastures in other states where they are being motivated.
He said  he expected that some allowances would have been paid to the contract athletes in order to keep them with the state , pending when the NSF got underway.
‘But there is nothing whatsoever to motivate them after the fiesta, no allowances, no employment.
Other states such as Edo, Lagos, Cross River and Plateau have learnt from their mistakes, they are now doing all they could to keep the athletes by motivating them with employment and allowances”, said the assistant coach.
He, however, urged that something should be done fast to remedy the situation, stating that, if nothing was done to check the situation, it might spell doom for sports in the state in the near future, especially the national sports festival.
It would be recalled that Delta and Edo States gave out cash reward of N1million to athletes that won gold at the Eko 2012.
However, reacting to the coach’s alarm, the state Director of Sports, Sir Deaobu Harry said that he was not aware of such exodus of athletes, saying that the state’s athletes were intact and would definitely do well when the 19th National Sports Festival gets underway in Calabar.
According to him, the state was preparing well and hard for the NSF.
‘Iam not aware of such situation because, our athletes are still intact and preparing for the forthcoming national sports festival scheduled to hold in Cross River State, next year”, he said.