LAGOS– The President, Utility Sports FC of Lagos, Mr Abiodun Lawal has condemned the continued closure of sports centres and outrigh ban of football activities in Lagos.
Abiodun made this known following the official pronouncement by Lagos State Football Association LSFA that all sporting activities including football competitions should put on hold as a result of pandemic disease covid-19.
He further said that the government should have looked at the side effects of those who are making livelihood in the sport sector before coming up with the statement.
Some stakeholders also took to social media to expressed their divergent opinions on the decision of state football ruling body.
While a member of Association of Proprietors Football Academies of Nigeria, (APFAN) Michael Etim has commended the effort of LSFA on its decision, he also urged all football academies both in Lagos and other part of the country to shun football activities at this periods of pandemic in the country.
“We are aware that there is pandemic disease which has come to stay with us.By now, I expect government to give us covid-19 protocols safety and guidelines to prepare us for resumption”
“Many players have turned to social miscreants in their various locations and while some coaches, club owner are dying of hunger,” he said.
In his own comment, chairman Iganmu FC, Abayomi Egbayelo cautioned football stakeholders to exercise patience saying that what the government is saying is for the benefits of stakeholders in the industry.
Ex international and football Organiser, Richard Akorom felt sad how the government handle sport sector. He said the sports sector should open so that the high level of social miscreants in the society would be reduced drastically.
He further said that the sport sector is where youth are and it would not be good if such sector is lockdown for many months without concrete steps from the government to reopen it.
The Lagos State Football Association had observed that football activities had returned to the state despite the the lockdown in sports sector which informed the state football ruling body to clamp down on any organiser, club owner and coach who flaunt the government directives.
Recall that all sporting activities have been put on hold in Nigeria for almost five months due to the covid-19 pandemic which threaten human existence worldwide.
