NSC Reiterates Support For Federations, As New Cycling Board Is Inaugurated
“If you succeed, we succeed. If you fail, we fail. Our destinies are connected, so we must provide the enablers for the Sports Federations to succeed.”
With these words, National Sports Commission Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko welcomed the newly elected board of the Cycling Federation of Nigeria, who took their oath of office at the NSC Headquarters on Monday.
This is even as the NSC Chairman pointed out that the NSC Director-General Hon. Bukola Olopade was the only delegate sent from the Commission to the ongoing World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
His words, “We will not interfere in the Federations’ elections. I am very happy to hear that the election was free and fair. We are only here to provide the enablers for you to succeed. Why not? Our success is tied to your success.
“We want you to align with our vision for Nigerian sports under the RHINSE framework. We are no longer competition-driven but development-driven. Don’t just focus on the international tournaments.
“Place more emphasis on the domestic tournaments that will produce the athletes from the grassroots that would now guarantee our participation in international competitions is sustainable and competitive at all times.
“Yes, we like the medals but I will be happier if you win these medals with the athletes discovered in these local tournaments and we also provide athletes that will proceed to dominate abroad. When we are doing your scorecard we will be more interested in the number of domestic tournaments you organised first before the medals you won.”
He challenged the CFN to put the Velodrome at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium to optimum use.
“We have the best cycling facility in Africa, so take full advantage of it. I was very glad to see cyclists using it the other time to prepare for an international tournament and they proceeded to win so many medals abroad. That place is not just for social activities. It is for cycling first”, he observed.
Mallam Dikko shed light on the Commission’s delegation to the WAC in Tokyo.
“My brother, NSC DG (Hon. Bukola Olopade) would have been here today, but he is in Tokyo as the only delegate from the Commission to that championship as the chief de mission. So disregard any misinformation you get anywhere. We sent only one delegate from this Commission.
” Our interest first is for the Federations to succeed. You have been going to international tournaments. While we support and fund you to those tournaments, you will attest to the fact that we don’t send multiple delegates from the Commission”, he concluded.
Director of Finance and Accounts Mustapha Ladan, who represented NSC DG Hon. Olopade, reiterated the Commission’s support for the Federations.
“We assure you of the Commission’s support in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative for Nigerian Sports Economy (RHINSE) framework. We will do all within our powers to make the task of the Federations easier”, he said.
Earlier, CFN President Giandomenico Massari while thanking the Commission for its support to the Federation pledged their cooperation towards delivering the sports economy mandate of the NSC.
“We have benefited immensely from your leadership of this Commission. You always act speedily to our matters and the best we can do is to continually work with you for the growth of cycling in particular and sports in general”, he enthused.
