Fatai Atanda, Technical Committee member of the Nigeria Hockey Federation (NHF), has said that the recycling of players had posed a major setback to the development of sports in the country.
Atanda told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja that the practice was not only unprofessional but inimical to sports development.
He said that for the nation to attain international glory in sports, players must be allowed to graduate from the grassroots to national level.
“In other climes, players progress from one phase to another with special cap and experience at each level.
“Such a progression has been instrumental to great successes recorded by players and their countries,” Atanda said.
The hockey official called for innovations and ideas from sports experts that could help to transform sports in Nigeria.
He said that countries like India and U.S. created positions for Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), who helped to drive professionalism and excellence in sports.
Atanda said that the job of the CEOs often centred around canvassing for sponsorship as well as promoting and motivating the players to excel.
He said that the CEOs would not usurp the duties of the federation but help to complement them. (NAN)