Welfare issue distracts players -Dalung

Former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, said the issue of welfare and bonuses if not well handled with utmost sincerity can affect the morale of any of the national teams and jeopardise their chances at competitions.

Dalung, in an interview exclusive with Sportingtribune said there is the need to always interrogate and plan ahead on the issue of welfare for players and athletes ahead of any competition.

There have been reports that the Super Falcons competing for honours at the ongoing Women African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco have not received their match allowances from their first game and which prompted the ladies to boycott training on Wednesday ahead of their third place match against the She-polopolo of Zambia today.

“For a team to do well in a competition, we need to interrogate the issue of their welfare to make sure that as they go to play or compete, they do so in high spirits and collectively. What destroys sports and discourages players is when the issue of their welfare is not handled with honesty and probity.

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“You can invest N1 billion in a team at the dying minutes of putting them on the football pitch, track or court as the case may be, if there is something agitating their minds, that your investment will all go because they will disappoint you.

“If the issue of their welfare is still lingering or they are being intimidated not to speak about it because the tradition is that any player that speaks about the issue of welfare will not be invited again. There is also the issue of insecurity and that is responsible for all the disappointments we have been having,” Dalung told Sportingtribune.