We shall continue to witness tables like this at international meetings until we implement a robust sports policy which looks something like this

Ayo Akinfe

[1] Each of Nigeria's 774 local government areas must organise at least one sporting event a year

[2] Scholarships must be provided for exceptional talents who will be educated up to university level at specialist sports academies

[3] There will be a National Sports Festival held at least once a year, to which all states are compelled to participate

[4] A degree-awarding national sports university will be established in Abuja to train athletes, officials, umpires, health experts, and managers in all aspects of sports management

[5] Every state must organise a state-wide sporting festival to determine the best talents within its domain

[6] Private companies who run sports clubs will be given tax breaks and 99 year land leases

[7] Every local government must have within its domain at least one comprehensive sporting facility

[8] To be registered to feature for Nigeria in any sporting event, athletes must be able to provide authentic birth certificates and irrefutable proof of their ages

[9] All major trade, professional and educational federations and bodies must organise a national sporting event once a year. These will include the army, navy, air force, fire service, ambulance service police, universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, Custom and Excise, etc

[10] Exchange programmes will be entered into with foreign sporting bodies, particularly US universities to take and train Nigerian officials, managers and professionals on an annual basis. For instance, nothing stops the Borno State government from signing a training arrangement with the University of Michigan to take in 50 track and field athletes annually

Ayoakinfe@gmail.com