15th July, 2011
The Lagos State Sports Council, LSSC, has introduced a programme that would not only benefit its athletes academically and professionally, but also keep them from being poached by rival states ahead of the 2012 National Sports Festival, to be hosted by the state.
Chairman of the Sports Council, Agboola Dabiri, said the gesture was part of the council’s plans to enhance both the education and athletes’ performance, stressing that the programme, which would begin in the next academic session, would see the council entering into agreement with tertiary institutions in the state.
While assuring that the Sports Council would send recognised athletes for training in schools, Dabiri, said the scheme was in line with Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola’s dream of enhancing the future of the state’s athletes.
According to him, the coucil is also planning other packages that would ultimately be beneficial to both the tertiary institutions and the state’s athletes, noting that the athletes and coaches would be encouraged to enroll at the National Institute of Sports, NIS, Lagos State University, LASU, University of Lagos, Unilag and Lagos State Polytechnic, LASPOTECH.
Dabiri said the council is poised to implement government plan to discover athletes from the grassroot and develop them to their full potential.
He thanked Fashola for his support to Team Lagos in the last National Sports Festival in Rivers State.
He said the council would embark on aggressive drive to improve sports in the state especially in the area of coaching, athletes’ welfare, provision of sports equipment and introduction of developmental programme.
He recalled that the Lagos State Government has fashiond out a programme that will take remuneration of athletes beyond monetary award.