Local govts urged to support grassroots sports

By Saheed Afolabi

Lack of support from the local governments, bad sports facilities, lack of sponsorship and lack of good structures have been identified as the major challenges hindering the growth of sports at the grassroots.

Though it seems to be evolving, stakeholders said the growth of grassroots sports is being retarded as governments have neglected the sector, leaving it to the poor individuals to manage.

They claimed that despite investing their personal resources on the sports, the private investors still need the support of the government in some aspects to justify their investments.

Speaking with ECHONEWS, the coach of Unstoppable FC, Yemi Fortune, linked the challenges facing the grassroots sports to lack of sponsors and good sport facilities.

He stated: “The challenges facing the grassroots are enormous to be sincere because the grassroots has been a neglected structure. But if well managed, it would be a lucrative venture. The grassroots sports lack corporate sponsors to help promote the game. Most corporate organisations shun the grassroots as they prefer the national teams only. The grassroots lack well equipped sport centers as most sport centers are sand filled without lush green grass.

“So, we are pleading with the corporate organisations and the government to show more support to the grassroots.”

Taiwo Agbaje who plays for Diadem Stallions FC of Isolo said though the Minister of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare is trying his best to reposition sports in the country but the sport federations are not toeing his path to improve sports at the grassroots.

“We need to applaud the minister for the transformation sports have witnessed under him and he his effort to reposition sports in the country but his major stumbling blocks are some of the sport federations who are not toeing his path to improve sports at the grassroots,” Agbaje noted.

Musbahu Oseni, the head coach of Ms Success FC, declared that grassroots coaches need more support from the local government to play competitive league matches, saying grassroots sports are the avenues through players could be groomed for national team.

He said: “The challenges facing the grassroots are many which include lack of support from sport federations. The grassroots coaches need more support from the local government to organise competitive league matches for more talents to be discovered. We coaches work hard and invest our personal resources in order to develop the players because we know that grassroots sports are key to the development of our national team. Lack of adequate sport facilities is also hindering the growth of sports as good players could not be produced with poor facilities.”