FILE PHOTO: Policemen patrolling Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos StatePhoto: Idowu Ogunleye/PM News
Pius Asaba, a Para-table tennis coach on Saturday, urged states Sports Councils to embark on sensitization campaign aimed at encouraging physically-challenged persons to take to sports.
Asaba told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that awareness programme was necessary as some physically-challenged persons were ignorant of the abundant opportunities available in sports.
He said resource persons for such campaigns should be seasoned technical officials who had specialised in identifying and grooming talents.
“In spite of all odds, this country is endowed with talents, both in able and disabled sports, but we need to create awareness to identify more disabled persons.
“Here in Lagos, the awareness is already there and the talents are making it; other states need to replicate such programmes.
“We see and handle them as special athletes; coaches saddled with the responsibility of training these category of athletes must be the resource persons in such programmes,” he advised.
Asaba said that the sports councils should collaborate with the media in ensuring that the information got to the grassroots.
According to him, apart from the other benefits, engaging physically-challenged persons in sporting activities, is a way of showing them that they are part of the society.
He called on corporate and non-governmental organisations, to support the programme, either in cash or kind whenever approached for assistance. …Read More
Source:: PM Newspaper
