LAGOS – Kamiludeen Banjo, the Head Coach, Deaf Football, on Wednesday appealed to corporate organisations not to neglect the special sportsmen by supporting their competitions.
Banjo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the corporate bodies should extend the same sponsorship enjoyed by normal athletes to the physical challenged.
He noted that the special players had brought honours to the country through sports.
“Corporate bodies should give disabled and special athletes the needed audience; most organisations give support to the abled sports alone and this is discouraging for the special players.
“Most of the special players are eager to represent the country and they yearn to be recognised by those who matter because sports has given them a source of livelihood.
“Sports is an aspect of job creation for these people– instead of them moving to the streets to beg or cause nuisance,’’ he said.
Banjo said that lack sponsorship was affecting the special players for preparations for forthcoming international events in 2015.
“We have the Deaf World Cup coming up in 2016, the Nations Cup is also coming up in 2015 and we have the Deaflympics in 2017 and we need to start early preparations.
“The National Sports Commission (NSC) had been supportive, but they cannot do it alone. We need sponsors from other organisations to motivate the players.
“Due to lack of funds and late preparation, we emerged second at the 2014 West Africa Deaf Football Championships in Lome, Togo.
“ Assuming we had prepared early, we would have won the first place, that shows that finance is essential,’’ Banjo said. (NAN)
Deaf football canvasses equal treatment for disabled players
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