A sports enthusiast and Chief Executive Officer of Temple Management Company, Lagos, Mr. Idris Olorunnimbe, has called for increase in the attention to details at international sporting events, particularly in the area of application of governing rules.
This, according to him, should be done irrespective of colour or race, in order to enhance progress for the games and the athletes.
Olorunnimbe who made the call in a statement made available to The Next Edition, spoke against the background of the success recorded so far at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Australia by Nigerians.
He said although the government had failed in its duty to give the necessary support to the athletes, there was need for people to speak up over some anomalies negatively affecting athletes.
According to him, there were some discrepancies which were supposed to be taken care of but were overlooked.
He said because of the lack of adequate attention, Nigerian athletes had suffered some loss which dampened their spirit for excellence.
His words: “Although the Nigerian government has undoubtedly failed in its duty to provide total support for our athletes, as Nigerians, we will not fail in our duty to bring to the fore matters that may jeopardise our athletes reaching their full potential.
“Often, it appears that neither the efforts of these athletes nor the corporate or personal investments that have gone into taking them to the international events are appreciated, not to mention rewarded. Thus as Nigerians, we have come to realise that we must always speak up for ourselves since those that ought to speak for us seem to be saddled with other seemingly more important activities.
“It is for this reason that we call on international governing bodies across all forms of sport to maintain fair play at all times and periodically review its rules where appropriate.
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“Regrettably, despite the laudable achievements of most Nigerian and foreign athletes at international sporting events, cases of favouritism and bias towards specific athletes on the part of governing bodies and cheating on the part of athletes have been recorded.
“For this reason, some may have lost confidence in the decisions these bodies take in specific cases. Sports is one of the last bastions of equality and fair play and when it falters, then it is truly a sorry sight.”
Olorunnimbe emphasised the need to ensure a level playing field for every athlete, regardless of whom they are.
He said that would give every competitor a chance in the limelight.
He said it was equally necessary to reinforce the necessity for sports governing bodies to steer clear of favouritism, especially in the definition and enforcement of rules, springing from whatever existing personal or collective bias.
His call, he said, was basically to reawaken all concerned bodies and individuals to ensure that sporting games were free of avoidable and unnecessary actions that had continued to hinder progress.
