NAN-S-1
Lateness
By Bushrah Yusuf-Badmus
Ilorin, Sept. 13, 2017 (NAN) Rivers male basketball team Coach, Fubara Onyanabo, has expressed disappointment over the late arrival of the state’s contingent at the ongoing 3rd National Youth Games (NYG) in Ilorin.
Onyanabo, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Ilorin, described the Games as the worst tournament he would be attending as a player and coach.
NAN reports that the state’s contingent arrived in Ilorin about 3.30 a.m. on Sept. 12, six days into the event.
“I will not tell lies; as a sportsman, even when things are very bad, this is the worst tournament I will be attending.
“We left Rivers on Sept. 12 by 12.30 p.m. and arrived here around 3.30 a.m. After accreditation, we played Team Jos on the same day, and won 25-24.
“After that game, the organisers were fair to us and gave us five minutes break, before we played against Kano.
“We couldn’t finish the game because it was late, so, we played the last quarter this morning and we lost 28-41.
“And we will still play three matches on Wednesday; it hasn’t been easy since we got here,’’ Onyanabo said.
The coach said that it was unfortunate that no reason was given for the shabby travelling arrangement.
“Normally, we were supposed to come here on Sept. 7.
“And so, we stopped training since Sept. 6, and the date keeps shifting till we got an assurance to travel on Sept. 11.
“I think the problem started with the fact that there is no Permanent Secretary in the state’s Ministry of Youths and Sports, neither is there a commissioner.
“And these are the people who push things before they work.
“On Sept. 8, when we saw the situation on ground, we went to see Gov. Nyesom Wike, who promised to release funds for us to leave on Sept. 9.
“I don’t know what happened that we couldn’t leave until Sept. 12.
“It is just unfortunate that we found ourselves in this situation; but thank God we are here now,’’ the coach said.
He, however, noted that he was not expecting much from the players because they had no time to rest, and that they were just playing for playing sake.
“After we finished playing on Sept. 12, we couldn’t get a place to sleep on time, because everywhere was occupied already.
“We had to squeeze ourselves into places just for the players to rest for the matches we have on Wednesday.
“I really feel for the players because they have not rested at all, much less moving their feet.
“So, we are just playing the matches for playing sake,’’ Onyanabo said.
NAN reports that the Games featuring 31 sports, started on Sept. 7 and will end on Sept. 18. (NAN)
BAY/FLP/PDE
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(Edited by Folorunso Poroye/Peter Ejiofor)