The sudden unceremonial inactiveness of Rivers traditional sports like wrestling and swimming have caused worrisomeness to the traditional Rivers sportsmen and women, who made exploits in their active days in these sports.
Rivers State was a leading state in the sports of wrestling and swimming, and had produced national super stars like super Sokari Soberekon in Wrestling, who have gone outside the shores of Nigeria and had made both the state and Nigeria proud. Today the story is different.
In this report, The Newswriter sports engaged a seasoned public and sports analyst, whose opinion and views are valued and revered in the length and breath of the shores of Africa and beyond, Barr. Karibi George to provide answers to why those sports are inactive in Rivers State these days.
His responses, the government should provide facilities, journalists should go on serious advocacy, passionate voluntary support by the enthusiasts of the sports (wrestling and swimming) as late Tonye Harry did for lawn Tennis in Rivers State.
Other factors according to him, are “resumption by coaches of tour of schools to discover talents, government support through the employment of coaches, organizing secretaries etc, also children who have interest in these sports, should be encourage alongside the athletes to be up and doing in their locality in sustaining and bringing back these two Rivers State key traditional sports, he said.
The task of sustaining and bringing wrestling and swimming back is a task journalists, enthusiasts and the state government have to work together for the restoration of these sports.
It would be recalled that the Late Tonye Harry was a Lawn Tennis enthusiast and he gave his all to the sport in sponsorship in sustaining it in Rivers State.
The same could be done by others who have seen the good days of these sports, in their days of active sports when they made name and fame with the sports.
Government in the other hand, could do a lot by providing facilities and give permanent employment to both coaches and athletes that made the state proud. Coaches should be funded to tour schools in discovering these talents.
Lack of providing the enabling conducive environment for athletes and coaches are the basic cause of the moribund state of wrestling and swimming in Rivers State. Whereas, the talents are abound here and there, waiting to be encouraged and harvested. ###
