Lagos - Foluso Adefemi, president of the
Gymnastics Federation of Nigeria (GFN), on Tuesday in Lagos canvassed for a further concessioning of sports in Nigeria to the private sector.
Adefemi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone that private organisations should be given the opportunity to manage sports for it to thrive in the country.
"Concessioning will allow certain corporate organisations to concentrate and develop particular sports, because government cannot fund sports alone.
"Sports in Nigeria does not really have the support of corporate organisations as it is presently. But I think there should be the creation of an enabling environment for corporate bodies to support sports.
"Concessioning to particular private organisations to choose some particular sports, especially in Nigeria, will allow sports to develop. That is what is being done in most foreign countries," he said.
NAN recalls that the National Sports Commission (NSC) had a few years ago concessioned some sports federations to some private organisations.
The GFN president noted that Nigeria has a lot of potentials in gymnastics as well as talented gymnasts, and that the sport has a lot of medals to offer.
"Gymnastics offers not only a medal. The sport can give you as many as 30 medals at the Games," he said.
Adefemi said if the sport could be given better attention in the country, it has the potential to give Nigeria many medals at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
"Gymnastics is not a sport with just one gold medal, it has not less than 30 medals to offer. But in Nigeria the sport faces the challenge of sponsorship.
"So, if gymnastics is given a little bit more concentration, it will surprise Nigerians at the next Olympic Games in Brazil," he said.
- NAN
