Covid-19 lockdown: Sport competition organisers count losses

By Saheed Afolabi

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to halt major sport events at the local level, major grassroots sport organisers in Oshodi-Isolo Local Government have started counting losses as many of them depend on the incomes from the competitions.

One of the foremost organisers of football competition tagged “CY Unity Cup” in Oshodi, Cyprian Ukpai, lamented that coronavirus has really affected the sector, hoping that government addresses the issue urgently.

He noted that the pandemic has also affected sport kits suppliers as their sales have dropped since footballers and other athletes have stopped patronising them.

He stated: “As an organiser of grassroots sport competition, I must be frank with you, Covid-19 has really affected me the most because I don’t think the government is willing to address the issue of sport anytime soon.

“We don’t even know the next line of action. I was hoping the government would look into sport sector when the lockdown was relaxed the last time but the government never did.

“This is going to be a huge loss to the sport community as a whole. Sporting business in terms of kits will be highly affected. Players and coaches are also affected. It’s also a huge economic loss in sport sector. I hope the government will look into the sport issue this time around and give us go ahead to resume sport activities so that the communities can have something to give them joy.”

Also complaining, the organiser of the annual Oloke Soccer Fest Competition, Oluwaseyi Ogunwale, said the continuous lockdown of sporting activities has affected not only the economy but the fitness of the players.

He noted that since their players could not train, many of them have lost their fitness which may affect the sector especially at the grassroots.

“It has really affected us including the players who are lacking competitive matches and subsequently losing their fitness. We are eager to resume organising competitions once the government lifts the ban on sport activities. We are hopeful and praying that government lift the ban as soon as possible because some of us depend on organising competitions to make ends meet.”

Another prominent grassroots competition organiser, Yemi Fortune simply said: “Covid-19 has really affected a lot of plans that we have for teams that want to participate in competitions this year including players who are lacking the required platform to showcase their talents.”