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Tony Osauzo, Benin
Ahead of the National Sports Festival to be hosted next month by Edo State, hundreds of the state athletes, yesterday, took to the streets, protesting against inadequate preparation for the festival.
They blocked all access roads to the stadium chanting solidarity songs, just as they disparaged the deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, who they alleged did not receive them with courtesy when they earlier visited the Government House, yesterday, to lay their complaints.
One of the athletes, Osas Erahon, said, “It is barley a month to the national sports festival and we are yet to commence camping; we actually went to government house yesterday (Friday) to seek an audience with the executive governor, but it was to no avail.
“We want to know what is going on. We are supposed to have commenced camping by now. Edo 2002, we were in camp for over three months and we won a record 189 gold medals, but, now, we are not preparing well, so, that is our own grievances.
We want to prepare very well to win, but they are undermining us. “States like Delta, Ogun, Rivers and others have commenced camping since December last year, and in Edo, we are here, yet, we are the host.”
