Bayelsa State’s Commissioner for Sports and former Olympic champion, Hon. Daniel Igali, has pledged to sponsor the training of Juan Emmanuel, an 8-year-old wrestling prodigy from Nasarawa State. Juan, competing in the 36kg category at the ongoing 8th National Under-15 Youth Games in Asaba, impressed Igali with her resilience despite naturally belonging to the 32kg category.
Igali expressed his admiration for Juan’s determination, emphasizing that her young age is ideal for nurturing talent. As part of his commitment, Igali plans to support her training and development.
Reflecting on his 12-year tenure as President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Igali revealed that the federation has not received government funding and has relied on personal contributions and board members’ support. He highlighted the need for financial investment in long-term athlete development, criticizing the Federal Ministry of Sports for only providing competition funding, which limits athletes’ preparation and progress.
Igali called for a comprehensive sports policy in Nigeria, stressing the need for investment in grassroots programs and corporate sponsorship to produce world-class athletes, citing examples from China and Russia.
“We need to go beyond funding competitions and focus on developing our young talents from the grassroots,” Igali urged.
