Stakeholders have called for sustained improved funding for the growth of grassroots sports development in the country.
The respondents, who spoke in separate interviews with the Newsmen said that there was a need to go back to the basics.
Peter Konyegwachie, a silver medalist in the featherweight boxing category at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984, said that grassroots sports remained the beacon of the nation’s sporting glory.
“In my time, most talented sports men and women came through the grassroots, primary and secondary schools in the communities.
“In my school (St Michael’s College, now Adaigbo Secondary school, Ogwashi-Uku, we produced two National champions and Olympians in the persons of Paul Emordi and myself.
“We need to go back to the basics, and all stakeholders in sports should do more in funding sports development.
“They should show commitment in the organisation and administration of sporting activities from the grassroots to the national level”, Konyegwachie said.
Olympian said that sports talents abound in all crannies of the country waiting to be discovered and harnessed for national and international glory.
He urged the government and sports administrators to show more commitment in helping young talents to achieve their full potential by providing the enabling environment.
“If you ask me, I will say the only way to develop sports right from the grassroots is to organise regular tournaments.
“Sporting competitions like inter house sports, inter collegiate sports in the communities will go a long way in helping to discover raw talents that when exposed, can win laurels for the country”, he said.
Mr. Bolawa Akingbemisilu, a para-table tennis coach with the Delta Sports Commission, said thatzfunding remains the major challenge facing grassroots sports development in Nigeria.
According to him, the dearth of grassroots sports in the country can be traced to poor funding, which he said had resulted in lack of competitions and tournaments.
“There is no competition anymore in sports unlike the yesteryears, when sports were accorded top priority.
“For instance, for over five years now, there have been no school sports events unlike before when we used to have competitions at the school levels.
“I can recall that many sports talents that were discovered at these grassroots levels were sent to the state and national levels to compete.
“Before now, there used to be funds allocated for regular organisation of sporting activities at the grassroots, but now nothing is happening”, he said.
He said that the way forward is to make funds available for regular organisation of sporting events in schools in the communities.
The coach called on the government at all levels to show commitment to the funding and generaladministration of sports in the country.
Mr Siamtebe Emmanuel, a sport administrator with the Delta Sports Commission who shared in the views of Akingbemisilu, said that regular competitions remained a major to developing sports at the grassroots.
“One of the major factors affecting grassroots sports development is the inability of the government to organise regular inter-Local Government Areas sports competitions.
“I remember in those days, after the school sports, there was usually the inter-LGA sports where talents in various communities come together to compete.
“But nowadays, there is no attention given to sports, every attention now is on politics. Our governments are only interested in politics, because they feel that is where the money is.
Emmanuel said that grassroots sports can still be revived if the government and major stakeholders go back to the basics and do the needful.
He said that the major thing is to improve funding and ensure sincerity in the administration and management of sports in the country
“Another major factor to developing grassroots sports is motivation. Sports men and women should be motivated to give their best.
“I tell you that when this is done, our young ones would develop interest in sports and many of them will be discovered through local competitions and nurtured to stardom”, he said.