Kunle Adelabu
-Recalls lack of training, Edo ‘nightmare’
The only swimming gold medalist for the Lagos contingent to the recently concluded National Sports Festival in Edo, Olopele Smart, has stated that he achieved the feat through personal efforts as their handlers did not prepare the team for the festival.
He also rated the recently concluded national games festival as very poor.
Olopele, who was one of the four swimmers picked from Ikorodu Swimming Club to represent Lagos at the sports festival, won gold in the 200m swimming event and also participated in 50m backstroke, 1000m backstroke, meddling relay (men) and mixed relay at the sporting event.
Lagos emerged fifth at the 20th National Sports Festival with 32 gold, 40 silver and 54 bronze.
The state won just one medal in the swimming event which is the gold won by Olopele despite the category having over 40 medals.
Olopele and three other swimmers from the Ikorodu swimming club (Simon Bilewa, John Agnes and Adeju Favour), alongside four others, made up the Lagos swimming team at the Edo Sports festival.
The gold medalist, who trains at the Majidun river with other members of Ikorodu Swimming Club, said his achievement was due to individual effort because they were not adequately prepared for the festival by the swimming association in the state.
He spoke with THE IMPACT last Friday at his Majidun centre in Ikorodu in the company of other members of the Lagos Swimming team and Ikorodu Swimming Club.
“After losing two finals, I won gold in my last race in 200metres breast stroke”, he said.
“I also participated in the mixed – relay (two boys and two girls), individual high medley and men relay”.
He said that the swimming association did not fulfill all its promises to the team when they returned from Abuja 2018, especially in the area of adequate training.
“We had a lot of problems before going to Edo. There were a lot of promises since we returned from Abuja. We were assured of adequate training but that never happened.
“They told us that they were going to give us training for a year plus but they did not. We complained about it but there was no response.
“ We absolutely had no training before going to the sports festival in Edo. There was also no camping, we just put in our personal best in Edo.
“We were called into camping a day before we moved to Edo. That was not even camping. We just moved in and travelled the next day”, he said.
“Before the outbreak of COVID-19, we had about one week and a few days camping but we were later sent home”.
When told that a Director (Technical) of Lagos State Sports Commission, Mr Travih Olumide, denied the claims by the athletes, especially that of Philip Benson, regarding lack of training for the swimmers, and stated that there was regular training at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Olopele said:
“The Teslim Balogun stadium was opened but the water in the swimming pool wasn’t good for us because it wasn’t treated. The pool was bad and there was no treatment and as a result, we couldn’t use it”, he responded.
Recalling his experience in Edo, Olopele said:
“The Edo festival was very bad. At first, when we got there, we were not given a good place to sleep and that really stressed us. We complained and slept outside before we were given a new hostel the next day.
“That was the main reason I lost my first 100metres final after qualifying from the heat. I was very tired and there were pains all over my body”.
When asked how he achieved the only gold medal won by the Lagos Swimming team won in Edo, and the claim by LSSC Director (Technical) that they were given a coach, Olopele said:
“I trained myself for the event and l won the gold medal through my personal efforts and determination. I kept training and pushing myself to be the best. I really worked hard.
“Actually, we were giving a coach, Mr Monday, but I didn’t see him as someone that could train me to win the particular event that I wanted to participate in. So, l just had to train myself”.
He also faulted the selection of the eight swimmers that represented Lagos in Edo.
“It was very bad because we only had about two or three seniors who are experienced. We had juniors that were affected by lack of experience and power. We were eight (five boys and three girls) in the Lagos Swimming team that went for the festival”.
Recalling his day of honour at the festival, Olopele said that he was amazed to stand on the podium to receive the gold medal for Lagos.
“I was amazed and really happy. That was the best event in that swimming category and I really trained myself for the event. I actually came first in my heart and I just had to make up my mind to go for the gold in the final and I thank God that I made it”.
He commended the Lagos Sports Commission for the feeding arrangement for the athletes, stating that many states did very badly in that aspect.
“Lagos really tried in the feeding aspect. Athletes in most of the states used to go for their food themselves but in our own case, they used to bring the food to us. But it took long before the food got to us most times and some of us didn’t even get to eat at times.
“We were not paid training or camp allowances, but we received payment for closed camp and festival allowances. In my case, I also received my gold medal instant award which was N25, 000.
“The closed camp allowance was N8000 and we were paid N5000 every day at the festival. I also received N20, 000 the first day and later another N45, 000″.
The gold medalist called for proper training and care for athletes for better performance in subsequent sports festivals.
“The best way to resolve the challenges is to have proper and organized training. Our captain, Benson Philip, left the team because there was no proper training and care for the athletes (swimmers) but we didn’t have any choice but to develop ourselves”, he said.
“If they can put necessary things in place and give us proper training and care that we lack, I think that we will go a long way in subsequent festivals”.
When asked about the Director’s (Technical) statement that Benson Philip might not be one of the athletes of the Lagos team, Olopele said that the embattled swimming team captain is still his own leader.
“Benson Philip is still my captain and the Lagos State Swimming team captain. He did very well for the state at the Eko 2012 and even before the festival in Eko and at his age group category up to his senior days, he was actually the best in his major which is freestyle. This is known to everybody.
“He is still our captain and that is the recognition that we are still giving him.
“I was aware when he was leaving the team because he told me what was going on then. To be sincere, we lack training, care and some basic things that we need to perform as athletes. There was no proper camping and we were just training on our own.
“He told me that he couldn’t wait any longer and that he needs to move on and prove to them that they are not managing us well.
“He even placed the message on the group chat where we have all the officials and athletes”, he added.
Another member of the Lagos swimming team to the Edo festival, Simon Bilowa, who also expressed disappointment over the poor preparations they had for the festival, also recounted the challenges he and other athletes went through at the Edo festival.
“We lacked adequate training for the festival but those of us from Ikorodu usually train in the Majidun river. But what we really need is a more organized training”.
He said that the festival was very stressful and that they slept on grass for the first day that they arrived at the festival.
“Lagos swimming team participated in almost all the swimming events with only eight athletes; five boys and three girls. Most of our boys from Ikorodu participated in most events and it was very stressful for us.
“The first day we got to the festival, we couldn’t even sleep because there was no accommodation. We had no place to sleep for the first two days before we were given accommodation. We were sleeping outside on the grass and on the second, we complained and protested before they could give us accommodation”, he recalled.
“We suffered greatly”, he lamented.
“There was no fan in our hostel and no water to bath. The toilet was in bad shape and we resorted to using the bush to defecate”.
He commended the Director – General, Lagos State Sports Commission, Mr Toyin Gafaar Bolowotan, for his care for the athletes at the festival.
“The DG really tried because he was always everywhere and he related well with us too.
“We saw him giving money out to some of our officials to get what we needed for us but they did not use the money for the purpose it was meant for”.
He also said that the association failed to give them educational sponsorship to higher institutions as promised and as being done by other states.
“We were promised sponsorship to further our education in higher institutions but nothing has been heard about that. Olopele sponsored himself for his secondary education, so were many of us”, he said.
“Our association (swimming) is not organized at all and we want that to change”, he pleaded.
Delta State won the 20th edition of the National Sports Festival held between April 2 to 14, with 158 gold,116 silver, and 110 bronze, while Edo, the host, came second with 129 gold, 104 silver, and 108 bronze.
Bayelsa finished in third place with 56 gold, 55 silver, and 58 bronze and Rivers came fourth with 33 gold, 34 silver, and 61 bronze.
Travih Olumide, Director (Technical), Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC), reacting to allegations that the Lagos Swimming team lacked proper training before heading to Edo, said:
“That is not correct at all. Lagos State Swimming team camped at the Teslim Balogun Stadium”.
“That is the venue of the Chief of Naval Staff swimming competition and the stadium hosted the competition in that last two year. So, the pool has not been out of use for our swimmers.
“The place was only closed during the COVID – 19 lockdown but it has since been re – opened”.
On the membership of the former captain of the Lagos Swimming team who participated for Bayelsa State in Edo and won silver, Trivih said that he couldn’t verify if Philip Benson is a member of the Lagos State Swimming team but confirmed Olopele as a member.
He, however, charged our reporter to request for Philip’s identity card to confirm his membership, stating that the ID card was issued to all the state’s athletes as a means of identification
