Various sportsmen, enthusiasts and administrators have called on national governments to revive grassroots sports nationwide.
The respondents requested the government to bring back school sports at the local level to identify potential talent.
They made this request in separate interviews with newsmen.
Obioma George, Acting Director of the Abia Sports Council, Government’s indifference is to blame for the downturn in grassroots sports development.
He said the growth of grassroots sports in the nation is hampered by a lack of funding, sponsorship, and equipment.
He added that the Abia government has mandated that the state return to the fundamentals to foster sports development at the local level.
“In Abia, we have started sensitization in the 17 Local Government Councils with the Commissioner for Sports, Nwadinma Ananaba.
“The commissioner has directed that schools should devote at least two hours weekly for sports, thereafter, the inter-school sports competition will start,” he said.
Ike Shorunmu, a former custodian for the Super Eagles, said if the nation wanted to grow sports correctly, it had to start with the school systems.
The Abia Warriors FC goalkeeper coach stated that the current decline in the nation’s sports growth was largely due to a lack of government support and funding.
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