Veteran athlete rallies support for grassroots sports development
Obioma-Ezeokwelume Medani, a veteran sprint star advocated conscious support for development of sports at the grassroots level.
Mediani who is based in the United State said Sunday that efforts should be put together by individuals and firms to enable budding athletes attain their highest potentials through providing the needed support.
The Anambra born veteran who is the Managing Director of Obigold Entertainment and Events said it was in view of that that her organisation donated sets of jerseys to All Sports Foundation Academy Nimo (ASFAN).
ASFAN is an Anambra based sports academy owned and managed by Jonny Igboka, a national athletics coach .
The Academy had produced national and international champions including Ebele Agbapuonwu, the Bharaini national popularly known as Salwa Eid Naser
Medani said it was a lot easier to promote sports in the past when it was part of the academic curriculum and young athletes had time to do sports within the period of study but regretted that that was not the case any more.
According to her, in America and other nations that excel in sports, their educational system have space for sports just like it was in our time back in Nigeria but regrettably our school sports has died down.
“The saving grace now is the sports academies we have where people with passion like Jonny Igboka are breeding the young starts , these academies need our support because it is expensive to operate them.
“Sports has high potential of lifting many families out of poverty, the developed world don’t joke with it that is why there are academies everywhere, they groom their talents from the scratch and that is why they rule the world at early age.
“So I am happy with what ASFAN is doing, that is why I am supporting them and also calling on others to appreciate the good work they are doing for the society,” she said.
The Obigold MD applauded the academy for producing a good number of sporting champions in spite its poor facilities while on Nimo, the host community to help develop the place.
