Corruption responsible for athletics decline in Nigeria –Lawrence Adegbehingbe

By Femi Atolagbe
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Brisbane 1982 Commonwealth Games gold medalist, Lawrence Adegbehingbe has identified corruption as the major reason for the relegation of athletics in Nigeria.

Adegbehingbe, who is also a retired Director at the Ondo State Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, stated this during an interview with Sporting  Hope, in Akure ,the State capital.

He noted that the only way for Nigeria to return to her former place in track and field events is to make provision for adequate sporting facilities across the country.

Adegbehingbe, who represented Nigeria at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympics, noted that out of six states in South West, only Ondo and Osun state can’t boast of standard stadium that can host national event such as the National Sports Festival.

His words, “finance has always been our major problem, even when government approves and release fund for competition, half of the money will end up in some people’s pocket.

Despite the fact that we lack facilities, our athletes are using their raw talents and energy without scientific device to assist themselves.

Take for instance, majority of schools in Ondo state do not have any playing ground. How are we going to discover talents with such situation? Some schools, after collecting money from parents, will lock up there gates and claim they are doing inter-house sports without inviting other schools.

“Even those that will discover those hidden talents are not allow to enter the school compound.”

The Olympian added that sports is a veritable tool to curb social vices among our youths, if they are meaningfully engaged.’

“Sports has become business, unlike in those days when it was only school drop outs that were doing it. Today, sports has become a career”, he said.

He therefore called on government to legislate on the school sports from primary school up to tertiary institution, as that is the only way we can take back our lost pride in track and field events.

He also averred that government should make adequate budgetary allocation for sports and ensure that both private and government schools must have at least 200metres playing ground before they are given approval to operate.

Adegbehingbe concluded by saying Nigeria’s chance of winning gold in the field and track at the forthcoming Olympics is dicey, saying our best could be bronze.

He said only Odunayo Adekuoroye is the only potential gold medalist for Nigeria in wrestling come Olympic 2020.