As many Nigerians continue to question the rationale behind the inclusion of elite athletes in the Abuja 2018 National Sports Festival, National Wheelchair Tennis coach, Frank Termena, has declared that the decision to throw the festival open is good for the country’s sports development.
Termena, while reviewing the festival held last month (December 2018), told The Nigerian Xpress Sports that throwing the festival open afforded young athletes the opportunity to face those who have already made name at the international level.
“I think it was a wise decision by the Sports Ministry because the merits of allowing elite athletes to compete far outweighs whatever would be the demerits, if any,” Termena said.
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When reminded that the festival is supposed to be an avenue for talent hunt, Termena posited that the youth festival introduced by the sports ministry had taken care of that because it was there that states discovered and nurtured their athletes.
The seasoned coach was full of praise for the sports ministry for including wheelchair tennis in the festival, which, he said, offered hope, opportunity and jobs to special athletes in the country.
“I’m also happy that wheelchair tennis was included in the Sports Festival as it enabled the athletes to be integrated into many states that offered them job opportunities and gave them hope as a way of taking them off the streets. You’re aware that we’ve been to three Paralympic Games and two World Cup Games where our players gave a good account of themselves and as such the inclusion came at the right time,” he stressed.