OWERRI – The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Imo State Chapter, has issued a scathing communiqué criticizing the dismal performance of Team Imo at the recently concluded 2nd Niger Delta Games in Benin City, Edo State, attributing the failure largely to decayed sports infrastructure and neglected grassroots development.
In the document, Imo SWAN congratulated the athletes for their resilience despite severe constraints like inadequate preparation time, poor training facilities, and limited resources.
The team secured 5 gold, 8 silver, and 18 bronze medals, a tally that highlighted their personal dedication amid challenging circumstances.
The association extended appreciation to the parents and guardians of these athletes for their support, while offering special praise to those who clinched podium finishes.
“Their achievements, considering the circumstances under which they prepared, deserve recognition and encouragement,” the communiqué stated.
However, Imo SWAN expressed deep concern over the overall outcome, noting that Imo finished ninth out of nine participating states—dead last on the medal table. This marked a decline from the previous edition in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, where the state placed eighth and won more medals.
The group emphasized Imo State’s wealth of sporting talent, pointing out that several athletes of Imo origin represented other states at the games. “Imo State possesses abundant sporting talents capable of achieving far more respectable results,” the communiqué declared.
A primary culprit, according to SWAN, is the dire state of sports infrastructure. The flagship Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri, which hosted the 1998 National Sports Festival, has fallen into disrepair. Its main bowl sees limited football activity, but it lacks tartan tracks for athletics, forcing athletes to train on hazardous concrete surfaces.
The stadium also wants for facilities like high jump pits, long jump runways, and throwing circles for shot put, javelin, and discus.
Its scoreboard has been defunct for nearly a decade, and deteriorating roof sections pose safety risks, demanding urgent replacement and intervention.
Other facilities fare no better. The Grasshoppers International Handball Stadium, once a hub of excellence, lies in ruins with non-functional amenities.
Basketball courts within the complex, used by young talents, remain substandard despite sporadic private fixes, while recently renovated tennis courts are reverting to disrepair.
Imo SWAN highlighted the absence of a standard swimming pool, yet the state improbably won a swimming medal.
An Olympic-size pool project at Dan Anyiam Stadium, funded years ago, sits as an abandoned excavation site amid controversy, serving as both an eyesore and hazard.
Training woes forced Team Imo to camp in another state for proper facilities, underscoring the infrastructure crisis.
This has deterred Imo from bidding for national events since 1998. Grassroots sports have collapsed, with no sustained school, community, or inter-LGA programs—pipelines once vital for talent discovery.
The communiqué decried a shortage of qualified coaches, with aging personnel unexposed to modern methods dominating federations.
It urged reconstituting sports bodies, recruiting fresh technical staff, and professionalizing administration by involving experts, including journalists.
SWAN called for athlete welfare improvements, transitioning veterans into coaching roles with compensation, and strict accountability for sports funding.
Signed by Chairman Cosmos Chukwuemeka and Secretary Tunde Liadi, with drafting by Benny Naza, Afam Echi, and Divine Amadi, the group pledged collaboration to revive Imo’s sports glory.