A lot is missing in the Nigerian sporting arena and one would wish that those good old days should return for sports in the country to take its rightful place in the comity of nations of the world.
This is the dream of no other person than someone who had seen it all in Nigerian Sports, Sanni Popo, a former national team handball goalkeeper, who is now based in the United States.
Popo, who started his handball career in Borno State with Borno Spiders, has been around to feel the sporting action by the future generation of Nigerian Sports in Asaba, Delta State at the ongoing National Youth Games.
He felt nostalgic seeing how organisation of sporting events is taking place in the country, saying that gone are the days when sports fiesta like the National Youth Games used to be carnival like where athletes, officials and fans enjoyed themselves both on and off the fields of play.
“I can’t think of any other things than for us to return the funfare attached to sporting events in the country. A lot has been missing when we come for national sporting events such as the sports festivals and this youth games which has been designed for the youngsters.
“Sports festival was what we athletes usually looked forward to because it was our own Olympic Games. I don’t think that is the feeling nowadays.
“Sporting event like this should be a platform where athletes should be given freedom to compete, where there should be no issues of cheating and those manipulation tendencies of officials to influence decisions contrary to the rules.
“But I believe we will get there,” he said.
Popo is a known name in Nigerian handball. He was part of National U-12 Kwara ’82 tournament. His first Sport festival was at the Bendel 1982 and he attended his last festival at the Lagos 1989.