Romanus Ugwu, in Awka
Athletes participating in the 12th edition of the Biennial Police Games tagged Anambra 2020 have hinged the desperation to win gold medal for promotion to the next rank as their greatest motivation for the tournament.
Speaking to Daily SunSports/SportingSun at various venues of the ongoing tournament, some athletes also made appeals to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Adamu Mohammed Abubakar to increase the reward to the overall zonal winner of the event to N100 million cash price and N50 million worth of equipment, arguing that such gesture will make the tournament more competitive.
A kick boxer from zone 10, George Lucky noted that he couldn’t afford to miss the chances of the 2008 edition, when his bronze medal was not enough to earn him promotion like his counterparts that won gold during the tournament.
Lucky, who picked the semifinals ticket in a clash at the ongoing games, boasted that he was mentally and physically ready to pick the gold medal, announcing that he was desperate for promotion.
Similarly making an appeal, the Chairman, Police Cycling, CSP Abbas Abdullahi pleaded that cash and equipment rewards would be enough motivation.
“Our request to the police authority is that there should be reward in a game of this magnitude. For us to have a befitting game in the next edition, I don’t think a reward of N100 million will be too much for the winning zone and N50 million worth of equipment.”
On the challenges facing cycling, he said: “There are multiple of challenges facing cycling. First is the issue of lack of recognition.