Abdulgafar Oladimeji
Kano contingent on the zonal elimination of the 22nd edition of the National Sports Festival (NSF) taking place in Kaduna is suffering from hardship, owing to the failure of their state government to provide funding for their activities.
Our checks revealed that the Kano contingent is in dire need of funds to salvage their poor state of condition caused by poor traveling arrangements and lack of show of concern by the state government, which failed to make available the required resources to cater to the welfare of the athletes, coaches, and backroom officials.
The zonal elimination sports events are ongoing in Kaduna is organized for teams from Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Kastina to compete for who would pick the ticket to represent the north west zone in team events at the games proper fixed for later in the year.
A 162-man contingent comprising athletes, coaches, and supporting officials left Kano last Sunday to fly the flag of the state at the zonal eliminations.
The Kano contingent parades 108 athletes and 55 officials competing for tickets in Handball, volleyball, football, and basketball ahead of the fiesta to be hosted in Ogun state.
An impeccable source,. Who spoke to our reporter under the condition of anonymity said “Kano contingent are going through terrible experiences in Kaduna. Kano sports authorities before their departure of the teams had to resort to seeking help from friends and well-wishers to salvage the situation.
The athletes and coaches, who made the trip to Kaduna were given pittance as allowances, the biggest fear was the health risk they faced, there were no funds to pay for medical bills if any of the athletes should fall to severe injury, as is banal within sports activities of this highly competitive magnitude.
The source further said “budget for the Team Kano trip to Kaduna was submitted to the state government until the contingent left Kano not a dime was given to the sports authorities in the state.
Investigations revealed that the state commissioner of youths and sports, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso is frustrated by the matter.
However, another school of thought opines that the failure of Kwankwaso to address the issue of sponsorship in the sports sector is behind the current ugly situation being faced by the state contingent.
Our source revealed that “Kano state sports commission had to scoop for monies to give some stipends to the athletes, coaches and accompanying officials to travel to Kaduna.
The source further hinted that “because there were no funds, some athletes and officials could not make the trip to Kaduna, those who made the trip are already in desperate need of funds to keep body and soul together.
“Kano sports officials especially, the Commissioner for Souths and sports, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso is helpless, on this issue.”
Our correspondent gathered that the situation in Team Kano’s camp has worsened as of Tuesday evening, the athletes and coaches have continued to groan over the poor treatment been meted to them, courtesy of the information been passed on to them, that there is failure by Kano state government to provide the requisite funds needed for their activities in Kaduna.
Efforts to reach the spokesman, Kano State Sports Commission (KSSC) for comments on the matter proved abortive.
