Abolurin tasks sports administrators on athletes’ training

This call was made by the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Dr. Ade Abolurin last Thursday when he featured in the FCT Chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN Hot Seat. Fielding questions from the sports journalists, the number one civil defender said over time, he has observed […]

This call was made by the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Dr. Ade Abolurin last Thursday when he featured in the FCT Chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN Hot Seat.

Fielding questions from the sports journalists, the number one civil defender said over time, he has observed that sports administrators have not been living up to expectations in the area of funding of athletes training programmes.

He said the development of athletes and funding of athletes who are competing for the country is the primary responsibility of the National Sports Commission and such responsibility should not be taken over completely by other bodies.

Abolurin noted that when institutions like the NSCDC expend so much money out of its lean budgetary provision to encourage sports development, it should not be misconstrued to mean it has abandoned its statutory responsibility.

He said over time, the NSCDC has done so much for the growth of different sports in the country but it has not deemed it necessary to go in search of sponsors because it believes in using part of its budget to carry out the corporate social responsibility.

While calling on sports administrators to shoulder their responsibility, he noted that when sportsmen are adequately motivated, they normally go the extra mile to bring laurels to the country.

“We have done a lot for sports development but that is not to say we would abandon our statutory responsibility to concentrate on sports development. Those assigned the responsibility should take up the challenge and ensure that the country’s athletes are properly motivated in terms of welfare and training.

“When an athlete in our fold is competing for the country, it will be unnecessary for us to still shoulder full responsibility for his or her training. It is the duty of the sports authorities to fund athletes training”, he stressed.

Abolurin was reacting to a question bothering on what the NSCDC is doing to adequately fund the training of one of its officers and one time fastest man in Nigeria, Olusoji Fasugba.

The NSCDC in attempt to encourage sports in the country has given employment to prominent Nigerian athletes like Olusoji Fasugba, Franca Idoko, Hadiza Zakari and Braimoh Maria.