By Nicholas Obisike
Some athletes that represented Enugu State at the just concluded National Sports Festival (NSF) in Edo have called on the state government to improve the welfare of its athletes.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Enugu State placed 22 on the final table with seven medals including three gold, one silver and three bronze.
Meanwhile, the athletes, who spoke to NAN on Friday in Enugu,
blamed their poor showing at the event on inadequate commitment by government.
One of the athletes, Silver Ezeikpe noted that the state government needed to do all it could to retain its best athletes.
Ezeikpe, who is the head coach of Para Athletic but competed and won gold medal at the festival, said that the states contingent did not have good preparation for the event.
He however, said that the athletes did well considering their level of preparation and the inability of the government to take good care of them before and during the festival.
According to him, the athletes did well considering that they won seven medals during the NSF.
He said that the 2021 edition of the NSF was the first time athletes from the state were winning up to seven medals.
Ezeikpe said that the state competed in five sports, adding that para athletes won two medals.
Also, a Super Heavy Weight Boxer, Kelly Obayemi appealed to the state government to take good care of its athletes for better performances ahead.
Obayemi, who won silver medal in super heavy weight boxing, said he felt sad losing the final bout.
Obayemi said that some of the athletes would have done better if some officials of the State Ministry of Sports had accompanied them to the event.
When contacted, a Director in the ministry, Boniface Onovo, said that the state government was able to meet 80 per cent needs of the athletes before their departure for the NSF.
Onovo said that the state was represented by 50 delegates made up of 38 athletes and 12 officials.
Our performance this year is far better than the previous ones whenwe only won one medal in each outing. Our athletes surprised us because we have not had it so good for many years, Onovo said. (NAN)
Source: NAN News