The President of the Senate, Sen. David Mark, has blamed the endless bickering among administrators in the country, as a major drawback to the progress of sports.
Mark stated this on Monday in Abuja, while declaring open a Public Hearing on the `Downward Trends in Sports organised by the Senate Committee on Sports and Social Development.
He noted that the level of bickering in the sports sector was disturbing, saying it did not bode well for the country.
?“The problem is that while the bickering and jostling for position continues, the country’s sports development stagnates.
“We can’t tolerate it. It’s unacceptable to us as a nation because Nigerians may end up as the losers.
“Individuals responsible for these unhealthy developments should stop in the interest of the country,” he said.?
The country’s sports administrators, especially the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), have been engaging in endlessly disputes, which had almost grounded football in the country.
Mark frowned at the incessant interference in the selection process of the country’s athletes for international events.
?“Interference and nepotism in the selection process is not helping matters at all. There can be no federal character in the selection of sports men and women.
“This is a total mockery of federal character. It is not a state representation. It’s not a local government representation.
“The selection of sports men/women must be done purely on merit. All those responsible for selection of our sports men/women should hide their heads in shame,” Mark said.
He also stressed the need for a massive talent hunt at the grass roots, adequate funding and the provision of the necessary infrastructure for budding talents.
The senate president implored the NSC to ensure that the country’s athletes were properly motivated for better performance at all times.
“Half-hearted measures of funding of sports will not yield the desired results because it will be money down the drain.
“I know that our athletes ought to be patriotic at all times, but they also need to have something in their pockets to feed themselves.
“A patriotic person needs to be alive to be able to show patriotism,” Mark said.
The senate president gave the assurance that the National Assembly would take necessary action to enact the relevant legislation to reposition Nigerian sports.?