Lagos state athletes have yet to begin preparations for the National Sports Festival although the government scheduled the event for Aug. 4.

A check by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos showed that the first phase of the State Sports Council’s training programme had not begun.

Some of the athletes who hoped to be selected for the second phase of camping where the state’s representative to the games in November in Kaduna would be selected described the development as worrisome.

The athletes told NAN that the development might see Lagos losing some good athletes to other states and having an unimpressive outing at the festival.

They also urged the sports council to execute the training programme well so that it could get the best out of its athletes.

David Akoloh, a 96kg wrestler, told NAN that failure to adhere to the camping programme could lead to movement of quality athletes to other states.

“By now, this complex is supposed to be bubbling with training activities and screening of sportsmen and women.

“The inactivity here sends the signal that the state may not be interested in the Games thereby, compelling willing athletes to move elsewhere,” he said.

Bronze medalist at the 2006 Gate Way Games in special sports and table tennis event,
Gbemisola Taiwo, said the delay in implementing the programme could demoralise athletes.
‘Some of us who hope to get some allowances from the first phase of camping may not get it and that is what we live on as sportsmen.

“The camping would also have given us the opportunity of knowing who is competing for a ticket to the Games with one another,” she said.

Godwin Pius, a boxer, reminded the sports council authorities that late preparation was part of the reasons for Nigeria’s unimpressive performance at the 29th Olympiad in Beijing. “I urge the sports council to learn from the mistakes that led to Nigeria being placed 61st on the Beijing Olympic Games medals table,” Pius said.

But Alexander De-souza, the State Director of Sports, said the first phase of the programme was on course with some adjustments.

“What has happened is that the sporting associations were asked to run their camping in the first phase and not from a central control point as planned before.

‘‘We have merely decentralised the camping activities because of our financial handicap and because we believe the associations can run it,’’ he said.

De-souza assured Lagosians that the adjustment to the plan would not result in a poor outing at the national sports festival.