Ibile Games: Tennis Players Bemoan LG’s Poor Interest

Table tennis players at the
2014 Ibile Games which started last Wednesday in Lagos have bemoaned the low level of involvement of local government councils in the state in the Games.
The players told newsmen that it was contrary to the core vision of the Games for many local government areas not to be represented or to fully participate.
Taiwo Gbemisola, a Class Six para-table tennis player who won gold at the first edition in 2012, said that no local government had approached her to compete for it this year.
“I represented Somolu Local Government in the 2012 edition but I have yet to register to play in the 2014 Games.
“We the para-athletes will prefer to participate in the Games under a local government because of the privileges and advantages such will give us.
“Many of us have got employment through this means and some have had their training sponsored by the local councils they won medals for in the previous editions of the Games.
“I am quite surprised that no council has approached me to represent it in spite of the fact that I won gold in the last edition,’’ she said.
Another player in the Men’s Singles category, Ahmed Adeyinka, said that the level of publicity given to the 2014 edition of the Games was “very poor“.
“It is a relief that we are using the Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos for the first time in this event.
“But it is not good enough that not many players are here to compete,’’ Adeyinka who represented Lagos Island Local Government in the 2012 edition and was beaten at the semi-finals said.
According to him, it is even discouraging that many players here are the ones seeking to represent a local government area instead of the reverse.