Monday, February 28, 2011

AFN To Engage Ex-Internationals



 Bearing any unforeseen circumstance, The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), is getting set to engage some ex-internationals in building Nigeria athletes for a better performance this year.
According to the President of the Federation, Solomon Ogba, the AFN will be engaging 6 ex internationals who will be sent to the different zones of the country for better monitoring of athletes.
Ogba said the decision became necessary due to the fact that the body does not have any Coach as they do with the ones sent by states while elaborating that the 6 ex- internationals will be engaged as consultants and that the AFN have already discussed with the National Sports Commission.
“The AFN as a Federation don’t have any employed coaches; we make do with what the states are bringing. Now we are trying to do something that will engage 6 ex-international athletes that we are going to send to the different zones and we are trying to engage this team as consultants, we have discussed it with the National Sports Commission.”
Speaking further, Ogba said, “This was what Joe Garba did in the early 70s and we are starting it this year. “If I should recall, when I came in 2009, I said we are going to rebuild the process and now you can see a much improved athletics in Nigeria.”
Speaking on the Coaches, the former Delta State Commissioner of Sports said, “We have used about 20 coaches that came in to assist and we now know those that can take athletes from one level to the next level.
“We have some good coaches who understand, but the problem is application. Everybody knows you need to run three trials but how do you as a coach applies it and when? This is scientific,” he said.
Ogba said the likely ex-internationals to be engaged by the AFN are, Falilat Ogunkoya, Mary Onyali, Gebral Okon, Olusule and Tom Nwakwe.

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