The scourge of age cheats in Nigeria’s sports activities terrain could quickly turn into a factor of the previous, if crucial phrases spoken by technocrats within the sector from all throughout the federation are something to go by, Sports247 experiences.
The swipe at falsification of age, in response to Nationwide Sports activities Fee (NSC) director-general, Bukola Olopade, was a significant problem tackled, with a call reached, in the course of the convention of administrators in Calabar, Cross River State.
Olopade affirmed that every one delegates on the Nationwide Council on Sports activities had been unanimous of their views and verdict {that a} robust stance ought to henceforth be taken in opposition to the difficulty of falsification of ages within the sector.
He disclosed, “The technical committee agreed that we now have a scourge known as age dishonest in our sports activities. It was a heated matter when the talk began.
“On the finish of the day, all people agreed that there should be a draconian method within the punishment of coaches, officers and stakeholders who encourage their wards to lie about their age.”
Though he feigned ignorance of varied methods utilized by athletes to falsify their ages, Oloyede additional revealed that the delegates uncovered all antics which can be presently being employed within the scourge and proferred options to finish it.
“They fabricate beginning certificates and even change their NIN particulars. I don’t wish to consider that’s occurring, however we had been informed throughout this debate that it does occur. Nonetheless, all people got here collectively, and all of us agreed on the necessity for a drastic change.
“All of the states’ administrators of sports activities, even once they had been accused of being answerable for most of those anomalies, all of them agreed that it has to cease,” Olopade affirmed.
He concluded by outlining among the strategies and methods that had been forwarded by the delegates in addition to improvements that might be launched in the direction of ending age dishonest in Nigerian sports activities as soon as and for all.
Olopade submitted: “It begins with the conscience, and that’s one of many main issues we achieved at this convention.
“One other factor that excited me concerning the convention was the difficulty of insurance coverage and welfare of athletes.
“We additionally agreed collectively that we should develop the membership of Nigeria’s council of sports activities. We should permit sponsors, authorities businesses and different stakeholders contribute, as a way to add worth to this sector.”
