By Ben Efe, in New Delhi
Newly elected executive board of the Nigeria Olympic Committee took a break from the events of the New Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games yesterday to hold their first executive meeting.

At the end of the meeting the NOC said in a statement that its main agenda for the moment was to restore credibility in the house of the Nigeria Olympic movement.

The NOC according to the statement, would partner with the National Sports Commission, private and corporate institutions and other international sporting bodies to improve on the poor state of sports in Nigeria.

The NOC also paid tribute to Team Nigeria for its sterling performance at the 19th Commonwealth Games saying that it was a sign of a better hope for Nigerian sports and a challenge to restore Nigerian sports to where it belongs.

The Statement added that it will set up a benchmark for teams to meet ahead of the next All Africa Games and the 2012 Olympics in Botswana and London respectively.

Also States identified to be doing well in sports, will be encouraged in the area of grassroots sports development. The states are Lagos, Delta, Rivers, Taraba, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kwara and Gombe.

“We are going to make the NOC function the way it should. We are going to embark on the training of athletes, coaches, journalists through seminars, courses to ensure that Nigerians update their knowledge with modern rules and the game of international politics,” NOC president Sani Ndanusa said.