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In a candid and fiery media chat at the Stephen Keshi Stadium on Wednesday, Bayelsa State Sports Commissioner and Wrestling Federation President, Daniel Igali, announced that he will not be seeking re-election.
Igali, who has served as the federation president for 12 years, stated that his tenure would officially end next year, by the rules and regulations set by the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.
“I will not be running. My tenure as federation president comes to an end next year. I have been the federation president for 12 years.
And by the rules and regulations laid down by the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, my tenure has come to an end. We are right now in the process of looking for a successor.”
Igali pointed out that during his 12-year tenure, the federation did not receive any financial support from the government.
He pointedly criticized the Federal Ministry of Sports for the lack of funding and support, which he claims is a significant barrier to the athletes’ success at national and international levels.
“I served as Federation President for 12 years and I was not given 50 Kobo all through the 12 years.
The Federal Ministry of Sports should be held responsible for athletes not able to excel after the National Youth Games, not federations. My federation has not collected 50 kobo from the government for the past 12 years.”
Igali drew comparisons with advanced countries where governments compel companies to fund sports, highlighting a stark contrast with Nigeria’s approach.
He also lamented the absence of any international referees from Nigeria, underscoring the country’s unpreparedness for sports development.
“In advanced countries, the government compel companies to fund sports. We don’t have one international referee. Nigeria is not ready for sports development.”
Further, Igali called for a thorough evaluation immediately after every sports event in Nigeria to assess and improve performance.
He expressed a vision where Nigeria should be capable of producing six medals in international competitions, indicating a need for systematic and consistent support for athletes.
Igali’s remarks underline the challenges facing sports development in Nigeria and call for a re-evaluation of policies and support structures to foster better outcomes for athletes.
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