Does invasion of professionals have impact on National Sports Festival?
The curtain was yesterday drawn over the 19th edition of the National Sports Festival (NSF) in Abuja.
The biennial multi-sport event organized by the National Sports Commission (NSC) for athletes from the 36 states of Nigeria started in 1973 at the National Stadium, Surulere in Lagos.
The festival was originally conceived as a “unifying tool” with the main purpose of promoting peace and cross-cultural affiliation in Nigeria after the Nigerian Civil War in 1970.
The festival also serves as a development and training event to aid athletes preparing for international meets.
But after some years, the festival was declared open to all Nigerian athletes both local and foreign.
However in December 2011, the National Council on Sports (NCS) amended the eligibility rules for the NSF to exclude foreign-based athletes as it approved November 27 – December 9, 2012 for the 18th edition of the fiesta to be hosted by Lagos State.
Technical session of the council which met in Lagos Thursday at the Golden Tulip Hotel expunged the clause which made the NSF an open event, allowing athletes who reside outside the country to participate.
The amendment of the clause read “The NSF is (now) open to only Nigerian-based Athletes”. The existing rule had been taken advantage of over the years to invite foreign-based athletes with forged documents at the expense of other states. More so, the NSF is primarily conceived to discover local talents.”
The then, Executive Chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission (DSSC), Amaju Pinnick in kicking against the amendment, said it was unfair to deny Delta State the use of her athletes who are on scholarship abroad as he called on the Council of Sports to reconsider its stand on the issue. Members, however, opposed the reconsideration of the amendment and insisted on allowing only Nigerian-based athletes from participating to align with the original idea of creating the festival.
They argued that any athlete that has been discovered and sent abroad for training and schooling should not be brought back to compete with new talents waiting to be discovered.
But at the Opening ceremony of the 18th edition of the festival in Lagos, the then Minister of Sports and Chairman, NSC, Bolaji Abdullahi has said that subsequent editions of the NSF would now be open to all athletes, be it foreign-based or local to compete for medals.
Abdullahi, said that the decision to throw future festivals open to all athletes, was informed on the need to allow the nation’s best athletes to compete and bring out the best from them.
As the 19th edition of the festival comes to an end on Sunday (today, December 16) inside the mainbowl of the National Stadium, Abuja with the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung leading top government and ministry’s officials to the closing ceremony, the question now is whether the invasion of the foreign-based athletes has made any useful contribution to the festival?
The festival, which commenced on Thursday, December 6, has witnessed its good and bad side of participation by the athletes, officials and administrators.
This year’s edition, coming six years after the last one was held in Lagos, has been a very competitive one as various states are battling to take home the highest number of medals.
The days of the likes of Blessing Okagbare, Seye Ogunlewe, Funke Oshonaike, Segun Toriola to mention but few, taking the shine off the local athletes have expired as their participation at the festival has been ridiculed with their defeats in the hands of the young and local athletes.
At Abuja 2018, 59-year-old Taofeek Maya was the cynosure of all eyes, as he combined with Funmilola Ajala for Team Oyo to send Akwa Ibom State’s mixed doubles partners of Segun Toriola and Funke Oshonaike packing with a result of 12-10, 7-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-8.
Team Oyo that took the first set 12-10, but Toriola and Oshonaike, who have a combined 13 Olympic Games’ appearances between them, levelled at 1-1 by winning the second set 7-11.
After making history in Abuja, Maya said he never haboured any fear for Toriola and Oshonaike despite their international exploits in the sport.
As if that is not all, Nimota Aregbesola representing Team Lagos caused a major upset when she stopped African star player, Funke Oshonaike in the quarterfinal of the women’s singles of table tennis event.
Aregbesola, a product of Lagos State grassroots developmental was too much for her experienced opponent, Oshonaike. Aregbesola won the quarter-finals match 4-3 to qualify for the semis.
Pundits have given the match to Oshonaike, whose exploits in the sport have taken her to seventh Olympic Games.
“I can’t believe that I won this match. Am I dreaming? I never thought I could beat her when we started the game.
“The joy in me knows no bounds because beating a star player like Oshonaike at this stage of my career is a big achievement which I will savour for a long time to come.
“Oshonaike is a player I look up to playing someday but not to the extent of beating her. I must confess, it’s just like a dream for me,” said Aregbesola, runner up in the 2018 Asoju Oba Table Tennis Championship in Lagos.
But reacting to her defeat, Oshonaike dismissed the notion that she is too old to compete at the NSF.
“Nobody can tell me which competition to compete in as long as my body is still active to play. People were saying why did I come for the festival? Let me say that I enjoy playing at the festival and it’s not a big deal that I lost out in the quarter-finals. This is a game where a winner must emerge.
“I’m happy to be an inspiration to the younger ones .I feel fulfilled in this game and won’t bother what the critics are saying,” she said.
At the Track and Field, it was not a different story as the events produced some stunning results with Team Ondo and Team Rivers winning the gold medals in the women and men’s 100m events respectively.
Contrary to expectations, it was Margret Boluwatife from Team Ondo that won the gold in the star-studded women’s final as she breasted the tape in a time of 11.44s.
Peace Uko, the defending champions, could only settled for silver, while Joy Udo-Gabriel of Team Delta who many saw as the firm favourite for the top prize was left with the bronze.
For the men’s race, Usheoritse Itsekiri ran a time of 10.27 to win gold for Team Rivers, while former Festival champion, Ogho-Oghene Egwero, got silver for Team Delta with his time of 10.32s.
Enoch Adegoke of Team Rivers got the bronze medal with his 10.52s finishing time.
In some of the other races also decided, Assurance Omoria won the gold for Team Edo in the 100m women Deaf, while Chinwe Elekwach of Rivers settled for the silver, while Team Lagos’ Onasanya Oyindamola got the bronze with her third-place finish.
Rita Ossai emerged as the new women 400m Hurdles champion as the Bayelsa athlete controlled her race from start to finish, clocking 59.29s and claiming victory in style.
On his part, David Olowokere (Oyo), won the men’s 400m Hurdles final, setting a new Personal Best of 51.07s
In the 5,000m women race, Rose Akusho of Plateau State ran 17:05:55m to win the gold medal, as Deborah Pam Badung ran 17:07:75m to win silver and Chinonso Nwokeji won bronze with a time of 18:10:21m.
In what was a thrilling 10,000m final, Ismaila Sadjo (Cross Rivers) produced a great kick at the bell lap, leaving Emmanuel Gyang (Rivers) in his wake, as he clinched the win in 31:37:00. Gyang was second, while Shehu Muazu (Plateau State) came through in thirrd.
In the Shot Put Women Eucharia Ogbukwe of Team Delta won the gold with a throw of 15.42m while Team Gombe and Team Rivers came second and third respectively.
With the results at the 19th NSF in Abuja, it is glaring that the foreign-based athletes are gradually losing grips of their dominance of the sporting events and should leave the stage for the young athletes.
The major task, however, is on the coaches and administrators. They must as a matter of national interest and utmost importance ensure that they go round the nooks and crannies of the country to discover these young and hidden talents.
It is a known fact that most of our current stars are aging and needs replacement with good hands but searching for these hands lies with the coaches and sports administrators.
Culled: Goal.com