A group of concerned athletes (Sailors, Canoeists and Rowers) have raised strong concerns about the omission of their sport among others that will feature at the forthcoming National Sports Festival (NSF) in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Admiral Festus Porbeni, the head of the Nigerian Rowing, Canoe and Sailing Federation (NRCSF) said, “Athletes say for the umpteenth time their spot will not be part of the sport to feature at the Nigeria version of the Olympics Games and for them this is a denial not good for the development of the game.
They have taken their pleas to the newly appointed Chairman of the National Sports Commission Alhaji Shehu Dikko to come to their aid.
According to Olympian Ayomide Bello Powei, “The National Sports Festival is a competitive event which we need to participate in to grow the sports.
“Our sport has done well enough to merit participation at the NSF, two of our athletes made it to the last Olympic Games in France: Ayomide Bello Powei and Beauty Otuedo.
“We need opportunities such as the NSF provides to sharpen the skills of the upcoming ones and for the older ones to be busy”.
