By Ben Efe

Cross River athletics coach, Nelson Etung Godwin has dismissed insinuations in certain quarters that the State’s grassroot sports development programme was a waste.

The coach is here in Warri with five of Cross River athletes who are in Team Nigeria for the Africa Youth Athletics Championships. The Athletes include Emmanuel Agbeba, Akpo Edwin, Edidiong Offonime, Stella Sunday and Phebian Edoki who are products of the Cross River grassroot sports programme.

Coach Godwin stated that the programme coordinated by Bruce Ijirigho was yielding positive results and those trying to cast aspersions on the programme and those in charge of affairs are only doing so because they felt left out.

“It is not true that the programme is a waste. We are getting positive results, people who felt they ought to be running the programme are the ones fighting.

“What is happening is that there are certain older athletes whose career is on the brink. Dr Bruce advised them to think of some other things to do like coaching, going back to school to carve out a future outside track and field.

“This is because we have junior athletes who are coming up to take their places. The young ones are the top priority of the programme and these athletes are being taken care of reasonably. They are paid allowances, which they use to transport themselves to school and training venues.

“It is those who feel that the money should be coming to them that are belly aching,” said the coach.