Sports
NDG: ‘Bayelsa Competed Fair and Square’- Director of Sports
Director of Sports in the Bayelsa Sports Council, Andrew Aye says the State contingent to the 2nd Niger Delta Games in Benin City excelled despite their young age.
The Director Director in an interview before the closing ceremony said every member of Team Bayelsa at the Festival was within the age bracket of 19 and below as specified in the rules by the organisers.
He said unlike some States, Team Bayelsa focused on presenting younger athletes rather than being desperate to win at all costs.
“Every medal we won here in Benin, we can bring the kids and say, take a look at them if they are not under 19 but some States didn’t do that. To me Bayelsa won this competition technically because our athletes fall within the age range and we made sure we don’t break the rules by the organisers. But, it’s obvious that some other States they just want to get the trophy, just to win at all costs so they had to go extra mile which we can not do. Imagine some persons coming from Niger Republic and other States outside the region to take part in the Niger Delta Games. It should not be desperation, after all it’s Sports, it’s just Games, an opportunity for us to have talent for the future”, Aye stated.
He commended the organisers Dunamis Icon and the NDDC for the Games stating that it would ensure that coaches work with natives of the various States to develop local talent.
“This initiative ensures that coaches work with their own people and with that it will ensure that people will take over from them, and with that sports can’t die, it will rather blossom. It is not a situation whereby you will get coaches from outside to head one Association or be the Secretary. From the way it is, it means you have to build your own team. If you have 85% of athletes from Bayelsa making the Team, then you are really doing right. You are developing the people and the economy. So I want to thank Dunamis Icon and NDDC for this initiative”.
Mr. Aye attributes the success of Team Bayelsa to the support of Governor Douye Diri, the Bayelsa State Government and the resilience of the athletes, coaches and officials, stating that the average Ijaw person is always determined to succeed.
He appealed to the Governor for continued support as the Management of the Sports Council would build on the success in Benin City ahead of the upcoming National Intermediate Sports Festival in Lagos between May and June this year where these same athletes would be representing Team Bayelsa.
Ahead of tonight’s closing ceremony Team Bayelsa current sit in 3rd position in the overall medals table with 23 Gold, 20 Silver and 23 Bronze medals.