TEAM IMO AT THAT 2nd NIGER DELTA GAMES IN EDO State: NEED TO RESTORE THE LOST GLORY OF HANDBALL GAME IN IMO.
By Innocent Osuoha.
The Imo State Chapter of the Sportswriters Association rising from her recent sitting took a swipe on the performance of the State Contingent where she finished 9th with 5 gold, 8 Silver and 18 bronze medals at the just concluded games.
After a careful review of the participation and performance of Team Imo at that Niger Delta Games in Benin City, Edo State, Imo SWAN came out with a Communique where it outlined her observations and also gave some recommendations in the interest of sports development in the state.
The Communique touched on state of Sports Infrastructure, neglect of other Sporting facilities and lack of Olympic-size swimming pool.
Others are need to tackle training challenges, collapse of grassroot Sports development, athlete welfare and career transition, the need to allow professionals administer sports and of course the need to call for accountability at the appropriate time.
At a time in Nigeria, the Imo Grasshoppers Handball team was a toast in the sporting world because of her performance.
That fine performance could be attributed to the fact that Imo State then had an International Handball Stadium which was once a symbol of sporting excellence where the famous Grasshoppers International Handball Club recorded numerous triumphs.
For instance, for years Imo State hosted the Malta Guinness handball championship but unfortunately, today, that venue is currently in a deplorable condition, with most of her facilities no longer functioning.
The Stadium is now a shadow of herself which in turn has diminished the hard earned popularity of the team.
Any wonder therefore the poor outing of team Imo in handball at that championship.
However, give and take, the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, Imo State Chapter, reiterates its commitment to the growth and development of sports in the state.
The body congratulatrs the athletes who proudly represented the state at the games despite obvious limitations, including inadequate preparation time, poor training facilities, and limited resources, the athletes displayed admirable courage, resilience, and determination throughout the competition.
The association also acknowledges and appreciates the parents and guardians of these athletes for supporting and allowing their wards to represent the state on such an important regional platform.
Special commendation goes to those athletes who secured podium finishes across various events. Their achievements, considering the circumstances under which they prepared, deserve recognition and encouragement.
While commending the athletes for their spirited efforts, Imo SWAN notes with concern that the overall outcome of the Games could have been significantly better.
Imo State finished ninth out of the nine participating states, placing last on the medal table. This represents a decline from the previous edition of the Games in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, where the state finished eighth out of nine teams and recorded more medals than were won this year.
The association strongly believes that Imo State possesses abundant sporting talents capable of achieving far more respectable results. It is also noteworthy that a number of athletes of Imo origin competed for other states during the Games.
There's need to resuscitate grassroots sports competition, especially in handball, in the State has it has virtually collapsed.
During such competitions whether sponsored by individuals or the state government usually serve as the most reliable platform for discovering young talents.
