By Femi Atolagbe

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The Chairman committee of selection and appointment for the composition of the 32 Sports Association in Ondo state, Mr Biyi Poroye has charged its members to search for men and women of proven integrity that have passion for sports development to be wooed into various sports associations.

Poroye who described his appointment as the chairman of the selection committee as a honour to serve, said it’s imperative to support any leader who is ready to get things done.

He stated this at the committee’s inaugural meeting held at the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development in Akure, the state capital.

He added that the committee will achieve the assignment given them by looking out for passionate Nigerians with deep pocket for sports development.

He commended the Sports commissioner for his vision and passion for sports development across the state.

According to him, “the committee will look out for prominent Nigerians who are sports enthusiasts that the Association can run to when the need arises”.

“One thing that is going to guide us in this committee is passion for service and delivery which I want to see in every member of the committee.”

“We are going to be accountable in our dealings as a committee, as an individual, I don’t joke with accountability,” he said.

Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Mr Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye in his welcome address, said the composition of the new association for the state has been long overdue, saying the outgone association committee spent more than five years.

Yusuf-Ogunleye urged the selection committee to do a thorough job by ensuring they put the round peg in a round hole.

He added that eminent philanthropists with passion for sports should be put at the helm of the association which the athletes and their coaches can run to for help and not the other way round.

Some people are in the Association as chairman or member for four years without contributing anything or know what is happening in the association they chaired, we don’t want to put people in sports association for political reasons.

He said: “I don’t want to be commissioner for football, out of 33 sports, football is just one ,I want rapid development for all sports and not just football “

“It’s high time we involved philanthropists, corporate bodies in the development of sports in our state, because government can’t shoulder it alone, we should device a means to develop sports without much dependent on the government.