2014 Commonwealth Games: NSC To Sponsor Athletes

The National Sports
Commission (NSC) has said it would sponsor two athletes from the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

A statement issued in Abuja by the commission’s Director of Press, Tony Ohaeri, quoted the Director-General, Gbenga Elegbeleye, as saying that the sponsorship was in recognition of the organisation’s role in sports development.

Elegbeleye disclosed the NSC’s plan when he paid a courtesy visit to the corps’ commandant-general, Ade Abolurin.

“The system, often times, does not give athletes the proportionate encouragement or due recognition they need to perform optimally.

“ There is no singular organisation that has contributed tremendously to the growth and development of sports in Nigeria in recent times like the NSCDC.

“The best thing that has happened to sports in Nigeria is the NSCDC and the organisation is one of the greatest employers of sportsmen in Nigeria,’’ Elegbeleye was quoted as saying.

The DG used the opportunity to solicit the support of corporate organisations to sports development, maintaining that government alone could not fund sports.

The statement also quoted Abolurin as saying that the problem of sports development in Nigeria was that of funding.

“I want to call on the critical stakeholders to ensure adequate funding of the commission.

“When the NSC is financially encouraged, it will definitely have a ripple effect on the athletes and coaches who are the immediate beneficiaries of such gesture,’’ Abolurin said.

Team Nigeria will participate in six sports namely athletics, wrestling, weightlifting, table tennis and boxing in both the male and female categories.

The 20th edition of the games will hold from July 23 to August 3, 2014.