The Director of Sports at the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC), Samuel Kolawole, on Thursday said that the commission would continue to explore and fund lesser sports for them to develop.
Kolawole said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the donation of sports’ equipment to the Sitting Volleyball teams at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere.
NAN reports that the Chairman of Legacy Volleyball Club and a board member of the Lagos State Volleyball Association (LSVA), Kayode Ladele, had donated the sports equipment to the teams in Lagos.
Kolawole speakibg on the donation said that Lagos would not relent in its efforts to give a level-playing ground and funds to all sports across board without bias.
“The Sitting Volleyball is not a new sport but just finding its feet in Nigeria, the sport has been existing for a long time.
“However for now, we just want to believe that we must make a lot of improvement in its promotion, at least to make sure it comes up.
“Looking at the Sitting Volleyball, playing it requires almost the same techniques as done the normal volleyball,except that the Sitting Volleyball is played by the disabled and for us in LSSC, we believe there is ability in disability,’’ he said.
Kolawole said that in lieu of this, they have to promote the Sitting Volleyball just like the other sports; this we had started with the donation of equipment by Ladele who is a board member of LSVA as a means of encouragibg the teams.
“I want to categorically say that we are expecting much from the players because Lagos State is a pool of talents, we will be playing a leading role with assurance of supports to the Sitting Volleyball,’’ he said.
Kolawole also said that Lagos State would ensure that it organises regular competitions for Sitting Volleyball teams to prepare them for local and international tournaments.
“We will give full support to the Sitting Volleyball teams so that they will be able to represent Lagos State at both national and international tournaments.
“There is nothing impossible in achieving our targets; though we understand that there may be some problems, but there is no problem without a solution,’’ he said.
He said that the teams that were launched would get to the level that other states of the federation would embrace as one of the sports to be accorded respect and support financially.
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“We will also provide facilities for the team that will afford them the opportunities to train here at the main pitch of the Teslim Balogun Stadium and in other stadia across the state such as Rowe Park,’’ he said.
