Rivers, Chinese Firm Partner On Real Madrid Academy

The Rivers State Government and the world’s largest textile company, Hieng Yuan Xiang (HYX), China have agreed to partner towards the development of Real Madrid Academy, with a view to empowering the less privileged children.
They reached the agreement, yesterday, during at a meeting on the sidelines of the 83rd Congress of the International Sport Press Association (AIPS) holding in Budapest, Hungary.
Wike represented the Rivers State Government while HYX Chairman of Board, Mr Liu Ruiqi, represented HYX.
The meeting was facilitated by the AIPS President, Mr Gianni Merlo.
Speaking during the meeting, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike stated that his administration initiated the Real Madrid Academy to groom future international football stars and also empower the less privileged.
The governor said, “We initiated Real Madrid Academy to empower the less privileged and give them the opportunity to actualize their potentials. We are offering them training in football and academics.”
Wike said that the Rivers State Government has completed world class facilities in the area of football and basketball at the academy.
He said that hostels and additional classrooms are being developed, pointing out that they will be ready before the next academic session.
“We are at the moment developing hostel and additional classrooms for the Raal Madrid Academy. These facilities will be ready before the beginning of the next academic session”, Wike said.
The Rivers State governor called on the largest textile company in China to partner with the Rivers State Government to expand the frontiers of the academy, explaining that as the second largest economy in Nigeria, such partnership would be to the benefit of several less privileged children.
He also called on HYX to extend her sports sponsorship programmes to the Real Madrid Academy, as the academy would soon become the biggest sports development centre in Africa.
Responding, HYX Chairman of Board, Mr Liu Ruiqi, assured the Rivers State governor that his company was interested in partnering with the Rivers State Government to develop the Real Madrid Academy.
He said that HYX as one of the key sponsors of Beijing Olympics, the Chinese Football Team and other sports activities, was interested in sports academies that empower the less privileged.
He said that in the coming months he would work with the Rivers State Government to visit the state as part of the process to consolidate on the partnership process.
Also speaking, AIPS President, Mr Gianni Merlo said that the Real Madrid Academy was a worthy football project that deserves support and encouragement.
He said: “I was in Nigeria in 2017 when the process for the setting up of the Real Madrid Academy started. I was impressed with what was on ground. The academy has developed and it deserves international support.
“That is the reason I facilitated this meeting. The Real Madrid Academy is a wonderful project, developed by the Rivers State Government.”
In his remarks, the AIPS President (Africa), Mitchell Obi, urged HYX to support the Real Madrid Academy, as it was a veritable empowerment tool.
He said that the governor was one of the greatest promoters of sports in Africa, hence the AIPS honoured him with the Power of Sports (POS), Africa award.
Highpoint of the occasion was the presentation of Real Madrid Academy brochure to the HYX Chairman of Board, Mr Liu Ruiqi, by Governor Wike.