NIS Students’ Week: Stakeholders identify corruption, maladministration , poor infrastructure as bane of Nigerian sports

As the Students’ Union of National Institute For Sports (NIS), Surulere, Lagos, mark Day 4 of their weeklong Students’ week, stakeholders in the industry have identified corruption, maladministration and obsolete equipment and poor infrastructure as the greatest challenge retarding the growth of the country’s sports sector.

They stated this at the seminar organised by the students as part of activities marking their week.

In his lecture titled ‘ Sports Infrastructure, a game changer for athletes and coaches ‘ the Managing Director of Webber Engineering Limited, Engr. Opeyemi Kayode Babalola identified inadequate equipment, lack of maintenance culture and corruption among sports administrators as factors that are retarding the development of the country’s sports, warning that unless corruption is eradicated, the country will continue to struggle at international competitions.

He was of the opinion that Nigerians who won medals for other countries at the just concluded Paris 2024 Olympics were able to do so because they were adequately prepared and exposed to the most modern equipment in their adopted countries.

He further stated that most sports administrators have no business being in sports because they fail to realize that sports is now a big business and for you to have a podium finish at any international competition, you must prepare adequately for it.
Babalola posited that for the country to get it right, corruption must be eradicated. Those at the helm of affairs must be persons who understand that sports is business. They must ensure that contracts for supply of sports equipment or
construction of stadia are given to competent contractors with proven track record.
Athletes must get exposure to the latest state of the art sports technology which must be delivered on time and adequate preparation of athletes long before the commencement of any major championship.

Babalola, a former basketball player with Kwara Falcons and Dodan Warriors of Lagos who on Tuesday handed over to the management of NIS the renovated basketball pitch which was renovated by his company, posited that it’s high time government hands off the running of sports but rather concentrate on creating enabling environment while there should be Public Private Partnership in order to change the narratives of the country’s ecosystem.

He also took time, to explain the benefits of having good sports infrastructure to include; improved player confidence and performance,
reduces risk of injury, support community engagement and participation , foster economic growth and drive innovations.

Speaking on the topic Citizens Education, a tool for repositioning Nigeria fortune in sports,; a lesson for football coaches and managers Gbolahan Moronkola of the Department of Exams and Records ( NIS ), admonished coaches to realize that the world is changing and they must adapt to new technology as well as redefine the way they treat their athletes’
He noted that active citizens participation is very important in reshaping the country’s sports.
According to him, citizens right to life must be provided. A coach must have the knowledge of Health Education, value education, branding and kits for the team while the team must have adequate security
” We must understand that sports is a national symbol and as such our jerseys must symbolize that we’ re Nigerians. Coaches should also have knowledge of how to reduce or eradicate the use of performance enhancing drugs.

” It’s equally important we understand how to interact with Community leaders, especially at the grassroots.level.
We must also come out with ideas on how to source for funds as well as how to interact with policy makers.

However, he identified inadequate financial support, non provision of sporting materials, no trust between the Coaches and the managers and their athletes as retarding Nigeria Football today.

Ggolahan in concluding his paper, recommended mobilization of funds from philanthropists, Sports Ministry creating more sporting events, coaches and athletes’ well taken care of as well as having public private partnership to drive the country’s sports.

In his own paper, Coach Adegun Sola of Sporting Lagos Academy took the participants in ‘Players Skill Development. He took time to explain to the coaches, various aspects of coaching techniques and at the end of the day what they learnt was out into practice.