Ondo SWAN urges Gov Aiyedatiwa to fix sports facilities

The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Ondo state chapter, has charged Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to urgently declare ‘a state of emergency’ on sporting facilities in the state.

According to a statement issued yesterday and signed by its Chairman, Segun Giwa and the Secretary, Joseph Adesuyan, SWAN noted that there had been recent complaints of lack of funds and attention for other sports like basketball, volleyball, hockey and handball, among others.

The association explained that this came after several stakeholders had advised the state government to, as a matter of urgency, attend to issues causing continuous delay in the upgrading of Ondo State Sports Complex, Akure.

“As a critical sports stakeholder in Ondo State, we passionately appeal to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, as a matter of urgency, to declare a state of emergency on government sporting facilities in the state for a quick turnaround of results,” the statement said.

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The association decried how the state owned football team, Sunshine Stars, now play their home matches in the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) away from their original home ground in the Akure Sport Stadium – a sad development that has further plunged the Akure home based club into relegation waters.

“In the same vein, the National Sports Festival (NSF), beckons yet there is no artificial track, good indoor sports hall, or healthy swimming pool to train athletes from the state,” the association added.

It noted that three months after the contract for the renovation of the stadium was awarded, it was still abandoned, thereby making economic activities to be totally grounded within and around the sports complex.

But in a swift reaction, the state commissioner for youths and sports development in the state, Saka Ogunleye, said the contractor handling the project had moved to the site.