As controversy continues raging over eyebrows raised by Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) about age irregularities amongst Nigeria’s contingents in current months, a Lagos-based youth soccer coach has alleged that it’s a problem which impacts even civil servants within the nation.
Sports247 stories that this verdict got here from Coach Angel Ebiye Jombo, who believes that tackling ‘age dishonest’ should not be restricted to soccer and athletics, however referred to as for a clear sweep of your complete Nigerian mentality concerning dates of delivery.
Coach Jombo took this daring stand whereas talking throughout ‘Scorching Seat’ section of Inside Naija Sports activities, a stay streaming programme on YouTube from the studio of Sports247 Naija TV, beginning at 11:45am each Friday.
The member of Lagos State Coaches Affiliation declared, “It’s not solely in soccer and athletics that this problems with age falsification happens, however in Nigeria as a complete – even within the civil service. It’s a rampant factor that’s roughly like a most cancers on this nation.
“It’s deep in us as a set of individuals; and one main purpose why it retains arising is as a result of we all the time begin issues late. While you don’t get to do issues on time, you then attempt to meet up by reducing again the years with a decrease age.
“If we get to start out issues on time, as is completed in Europe, we won’t want to chop the ages of our athletes. For example, footballers in Europe discover ways to play from the age of 4.
“By the point they do this for ten years, as much as the age of 13 or 14, they might perceive the fundamentals of soccer, and they’ll simply turn out to be good gamers.
“Then again, right here in Nigeria, a whole lot of gamers don’t begin studying soccer till they’re like 13 or 14. Many of their younger ages will not be even allowed by their dad and mom or guardians to play soccer.”
He additionally took a selected take a look at observe and subject, with a view that reducing the age of an athlete might be because of win in any respect value, strain from followers, aspirations of oldsters and the concern of assembly over-aged opponents throughout a youth competitors.
Jombo continued, “For athletics, age falsification happens by varied causes. One is possibly there’s an under-18 competitors arising, and the coach realises that his greatest athlete is 22 years outdated however nonetheless seems to be younger.
“They may say he’s nonetheless inside the age restrict after which minimize his age formally in order that he can slot in. They may register him with a decrease age in order that he can take part they usually have a greater probability of successful, as a result of their opponents might do the identical.
“Such issues occur loads in Nigeria as a result of we consider in successful in any respect value. We wish to win on a regular basis, somewhat than take a look at youth improvement … and that’s an enormous downside.
“We don’t wish to be taught from dropping immediately in order that we will win tomorrow and the day after. Even the followers and oldsters need you to place your greatest gamers to be able to win … even when they’re above the age restrict.
“There may be additionally strain on coaches on the nationwide stage; the place a coach is sacked if he doesn’t win. Due to that, each coach needs to win, and the difficulty of reducing ages retains arising in Nigeria’s sports activities sector.
“On the identical time, many Nigerian kids don’t develop quick these days and the under-17 coach will probably be petrified of going to a serious event with boys of the true age, who he believes wouldn’t be ok to offer him the victory that Nigerians need.”
The sleek-talking coach, who based United Squad Soccer Academy 20 years in the past at Thomas Ajegunle in Kosofe space Lagos State, concluded with a cost to Nigeria’s sports activities officers to revive college sports activities actions, in order that skills could be noticed at early ages earlier than they step into the bigger society.
“As it’s, this isn’t simply a problem about soccer and athletics. It’s a social downside in Nigeria as a complete. Many people like to chop our age in an effort to seem youthful and acceptable in society.
“Nonetheless, by way of soccer, particularly, many younger skills in colleges will not be examined and uncovered early sufficient. They don’t seem to be even given probabilities to show themselves.
“So, we now have to deliver again Principals’ Cup to be staged yearly. They need to additionally implement league golf equipment to have younger gamers of their major groups.
“There needs to be a legislation that every membership will need to have a minimum of three gamers which can be aged under-18. That will drive them to search for younger gamers,” Jombo submitted affirmatively.
