The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Olusade Adesola has briefed the media and the general public on the level of preparations of Team Nigeria for the forthcoming 12th African Games in Rabat, Morocco.
Addressing the Sport Editors and reporters from other media organisations recently at the Permanent Secretary’s Conference Room, Federal Secretariat, Abuja, Adesola applauded President Muhammadu Buhari’s led administration for his sustained and unwavering support for the sporting activities of the Ministry including the African Games.
He noted that the African Games is a multi-sports quadrennial games, adding that it is the equivalent of African ‘’Olympics’ which takes a 4-year cycle preparation programme.
According to him, ‘’ the Federations have concluded series of close and open trials to assess the athletes’ level of preparations and select possible podium athletes to represent the nation at the Games’’.
Adesola further stated that Nigeria will feature contingent size of 462 athletes, Coaches, medical and administrative support staff, while the Ministry will support with additional 100 guests to the African Games. He added that the Ministry would appreciate a large turn-out of teeming support from Nigerians who have the resources and could legitimately make the trip to Morocco to cheer up the athletes.
The Permanent Secretary, while acknowledging the zeal and patriotism of some foreign based athletes in their quest to do the nation proud; shuttled a number of times to and fro Nigeria at their own cost, adding that other athletes should emulate this good virtue.
He also acknowledged the resilience efforts of the Federations and their Boards in ensuring that Team Nigeria work together with their officials and coaches for successful outings in
Rabat.
Adesola thanked the Board and Management of the Nigeria Anti Doping Committee for educating the athletes on the danger of doping, nothing that anti-doping technologies have so advanced that you can hardly escape being caught. He said: ‘’avoid any form of self-medication, for all your medical needs; please always consult physicians in camps. Doping is cheating and there is global action against it’’.
Earlier in her opening remarks, the Director, Federation Elites Athletes Department of the Ministry, Mrs Tayo Oreweme, appreciated the various sport editors who took time out to be part of
the all important briefing.
The briefing, chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Olusade Adesola, had in attendance President of the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC), Habu Gumel, Nigerian Chef De Mission, Alhassan Yakmut and other Directors from the Ministry.
Olatunji John
Principal Information Officer
For: Director, Press & Public Relations Department
