Poaching of athletes not in our culture, says Team Delta
Team Delta has given reasons for its second position finishing at the 2nd Niger Delta Games, which ended in Benin City, yesterday.
For the second time, Delta finished second in the competition, first behind Bayelsa in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State last year and now behind the host, Edo State.
In his reaction yesterday, the Executive Chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission, Hon. Joshua Onoriode Oborevwori, said: We attribute this development to the shift in strategy of the Delta State Sports Commission from ‘Sports promotion’ where winning at all cost and poaching of athletes is the order of the day to ‘sports development,’ where emphasis is placed on identifying, engaging and nurturing budding sports talents from the grassroots (primary, secondary schools and communities).
Oborevwori appealed to all and sundry that though the current podiums finish of Team Delta in the overall medals table may not be good enough for Delta State with the new strategy of sports development in place, Delta State and Nigeria will be better for it in the long run.
He equally said that Sports Associations in the state will be restructured in a manner such that only competent coaches with requisite experience will be made to Head Associations against the current practice where seniority is the sole criterion.
He commended the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dunamis Icon Limited for the ‘skillet’ of the 2nd Niger Delta Games, just as he praised athletes and officials of the Team Delta for their gallantry.
The Chairman expressed his appreciation to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for his support for the Sports Commission.
The Guardian recall that the host, Team Edo, lost six medals after one of their swimmers was stripped of five gold and one silver over eligibility issue. Five other athletes from different states were disqualified in the course of the Games for poaching and last minutes switch from one state to another.
