A Lagos State grassroots
swimming coach, Daniel Jasper has decried the attitude of Lagos State sports authorities toward swimmers and coaches.
Jasper told newsmen  in Lagos that he decided not to participate in the going Lagos State Secondary Schools Sports Festival tagged “Ibile Games’’ because of the poor attitude.
There was low turnout of swimmers at the swimming events of the games at the Teslim Balogun Stadium Swimming pool.
Jasper said lack of good welfare for the swimmers made him pull out his athletes from the Games.
“My swimmers WERE featuring in the Ibile Games because of the way we were treated during the 2014 Speakers Cup.
“We were not well treated at the Speakers Cup last year; with that experience, I cannot take the risk of bringing these young boys and girls without good welfare for them.
“The secretary of the association made empty promises to us, but up till date the promises have not been met.
“And this is a recurring trend with the state swimming association, so we will not be participating,” Jasper said.
The coach, who is also Takwabay grassroots coach, said the state sports council should take the welfare and motivation of the state athletes seriously to stem poaching and voluntary exit of swimmers.
“Other states like Cross River and Delta have well thought out grassroots programmes, with the welfare of athletes as priority.
“The sports council should show care and good welfare for grassroots coaches, to avoid poaching,’’ he said.
Daniel said that most grassroots clubs are not at the Games due to the attitude of the state swimming association.
“In some major youth competitions like the Ibile Games, eight lanes will be full, but you can observe that only three or four swimmers are on lines in the Ibile Games,“ he said.

Catch them young, kids being drilled in Golf