The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Ondo Chapter, has called on the State Government to urgently intervene in the dwindling fortunes of sports in the state.
In a statement jointly signed by the Chairman of the Association, Mr. Segun Giwa and the Secretary, Joseph Adesuyan the Ondo State government should as a matter of urgency, attend to issues causing continuous delays in the upgrading of the Ondo State Sports Complex, Akure.
The statement reads in part: “There have been recent complaints about a lack of funds and attention for other sports like basketball, volleyball, hockey, and handball, among others.
“Also, the state-owned football team, Sunshine Stars, now play all their matches in the Nigeria Premier Football League away from their original home ground in Akure Stadium, thus plunging the club into relegation fears.
“Sunshine Stars’ journey in the second week of December had been very rough, travelling around the country in a span of seven days with a rickety bus.
“They played in Ikenne, Ogun State, the penultimate Saturday, returned to Akure on Sunday, and hit the road again on Monday to honour their rescheduled matchday 13 fixture against Enyimba International in Aba. They journeyed back to Akure on Thursday and arrived in Minna on Saturday afternoon to face a much-improved Niger Tornadoes the following day.”
SWAN also expressed concern over lack of artificial track, indoor sports hall and other sporting facilities at the Akure Stadium to adequately prepare the state’s athletes for the forthcoming National Sports Festival.
The sports writers passionately appealedto Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to declare a state of emergency on government sporting facilities in the state for a quick turnaround of results.