The Southwest Zonal Eliminations for Abuja 2018 National Sports Festival gets underway at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium in Ibadan with Team Ondo doing well in most of the ball games, winning Lagos male in Volleyball event and Oyo Female in basketball in matches played on Friday.
The head of Ondo contingents to the event, Fabuluje Wande, the acting general manager of Ondo State Sports Council has commended the athletes representing the state while expressing deep gratitude to the governor of the state, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for ensuring the state did not miss the zonal games.
“If not for the prompt support of our sports loving governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu who came to the rescue of Team Ondo, we would not have been here participating, and you can see that the athletes are reciprocating the good gesture of the governor by giving their best”, the former director of sports noted.
He added that the competition became too keenly contested because only one representative will qualify from each sports, “every game played here are generating tension, emotions are being flared up, but the referees and umpires are up to the task”.
He, however, expressed displeasure on the state of facilities put on ground for the event, the same opinion which was shared by officials from most participating states.
“During our playing days, all the facilities in this Liberty Stadium (now Obafemi Awalowo Stadium) are in good shape, but now, the reverse is the case, the facilities are not suitable for events of this magnitude again, you can see how the volleyball court is slippery, which is very dangerous for the safety of the players”, Fabuluje noted.
Packaged by Olanrewaju Agiri
