Benin – Nigeria’s International Swimming Federation (FINA)-registered starter, Taiwo Osawe, says absence of the state-of-the-art swimming facilities nationwide has been robbing the country of medals at international championships.
Osawe told the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday in Benin that it was worrisome that the South South states with vast potential in the sport had not been able to produce swimmers who could win medals for the country at international championship.
“The reason is not far-fetched; this is because there are no functional facilities to help the coaches to groom the discovered awimmers.
“There are no subvention to maintain the facilities on ground,’’ he said.
The starter wondered why government and sports administrators, “simply do not show enough interest in swimming as they show in soccer.
“Yet, this is one sport where the nation can garner lots of medals from major multi Games event, if only concerned authorities can invest only a per cent of what they invest in football.’’
Osawe said Cross Rivers had the best swimming pools in Africa, yet, there is no government encouragement at all.
He, however, advised the relevant body to explore FINA’s open water championship to encourage talents that abound at all the nooks and crannies of the country.
But Osawe commended the President of the Nigerian Aquatic Federation, Babatunde Fatayi-Williams and the Navy authorities for their commitment toward the development of the sport in the country.
The FINA technical official, however, urged the federation to cash in on the forthcoming FINA open water swimming seminar in December in Abuja to help the growth of the sport.
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“Through this seminar, coaches and other technical officials will become abreast of the best practices in the sport,’’ he said. (NAN)