The success of Nigerian sprinter, Blessing
Okagbare, at the 2014 Commonwealth Games is attributable to the support of the Governor
of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, CON,
In an interview on Channels Television’s breakfast programme,
Sunrise Daily, Mr Pinnick said that the Governor “gave her everything she
needed to succeed.”
He revealed that GovernorUduaghan played a
major in the comeback of Blessing as he gave her regular words of
encouragement, pep talks and financial assistance, which included approving a
training grant of 10,000 dollars monthly for her.
Pinnick,who also lauded Blessing as an excellent athlete who
had a vision and mission, maintained that the role of State Governments in
achieving better performances in sport was very important.
He cited Governor Uduaghan’s support for
Blessing as an example of how State Governments could help improve the standard
of sports in Nigeria.
He, however, also said that the success of
Blessing’s wins was also as a result of the support from President Goodluck
Jonathan.
“After the Olympics which Nigeria performed
badly in, the President called a summit, (and) that was the beginning and
launch pad to Nigeria’s success in sports. He emphasized on funding, which
the country hardly has a problem with now”, he said.
Mr Pinnick also stressed that if there was a
proper structure in Sports Medicine, the case of Amalaha, who was suspended
from the Commonwealth Games for failing a drugs test, may have been prevented.
He claimed that Amalaha might have been a
victim of using malaria drugs that have some form of banned steroids in
them.
He, however, advised that there should be
more concentration and establishment of a National Sports Commission were there
would be a proper structure in making sure that there are technocrats working
in all d various departments.
Mr Pinnick urged the Senate President to help put
this factors into the law establishing the National Sports Commission.
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