Former World Boxing Title Challenger, Olusegun Ajose, says Nigerians boxers lack the necessary support and adequate preparations that can make them world champions. The United Kingdom (UK) based-boxer told pressmen in Lagos on Thursday that these inadequacies were responsible for most of the country’s boxers’ dismal performance at the world championships.
“Despite our passion for the country, there is little we can do at the world stage because without the necessary financial support and adequate preparations to win world championships. “The stake is very high at that level; it requires more than passion and love for the country’s boxers to win the world championship and make the nation proud,’’ Ajose said.
He said that Nigeria had talents in various sports but lack financial resources to take on their counterparts from other countries at the international competitions. Ajose said that sports could be used to project the image of Nigeria within the international community. Ajose said that Nigeria has a long and proud history of boxing, “with the many benefits the sport can offer the country in terms of self-discipline and health for the youth.
“It is hoped that President Muhammadu Buhari will support the initiative to deliver the country into a new era of World Champions,’’ Ajose said. He said that a detailed plan has been put together, which the boxers will deliver to the President. “The aim is to make Nigerian boxers World Champions in the next 18 months. “The specific aim is to ensure that the country’s world champions kick start a sporting legacy for the youth of Nigeria, which the whole country can be proud of.
“It will engender national unity and bring sporting glory to the country, whilst also improving the country’s image internationally,’’ Ajose said. Another UK-based Nigerian boxer, Larry Ekundayo, said that lack of support had led to most Nigerian athletes not doing well at home. The two boxers were in the country to take part in the 2015 Diaspora Day in Abuja.
The boxer’s manager, Ben Gray, said if the two boxers were British, they could have been world champions by now. “It’s a fact that these two fine Nigerians will have been world champions by now had they been Americans or Britons. “However, as they are Nigerians they have suffered lack of support from previous governments and faced horrendous racism overseas.
“With the present administration, and the Nigerian Change Agenda in place, we hope we can deliver to the country great sporting success and deliver a plan for increased health and self-respect for Nigerian youths,’’ Gray said. Also, Bimbo Afolayan, the Special Adviser to the boxers, said that the boxers were invited to be part of this year’s Diaspora Day celebration and see how they can help Nigerian youths in the field of sports.
“They are two individuals that make Nigeria proud in UK, and we know that they can be sources of motivation for home-based boxers. “The challenge now is how they can work with the media and governments toward progressing in their chosen career,’’ Afolayan said. Meanwhile, the duo of Ajose and Ekundayo said that they would visiting the national camp to motivate the boxers preparing for the forthcoming 11th All Africa Games.
No comments:
Post a Comment