Inspector Betty Osado, a gold medalist in Taekwondo in the ongoing 2020 Police Games holding in Anambra state has advocated for promotion of officers with gold and silver medals to new ranks as ways of motivating them.
Osado, from Force headquarters, Air force Command Lagos, who made the call in an interview with Blueprint in Awka, explained that promoting the officers would also enable them to fend for themselves medically and otherwise.
“To improve martial arts and Taekwondo in Nigeria, the government should provide more technical equipment. We are using censors and other modernised technical equipment. They are digital expensive equipment. The uniforms are also expensive. We also need good environment for trainings. The players should be provided with enough multivitamins and others capable of helping them to build, maintain and replace their worn out tissues and tendons.
“You don’t need to be eating too much carbohydrates foods and expect to do better in sports. If you don’t feed well, you will perform poorly and can even start developing injuries in your early age in sporting. And once you start developing injuries you may find it difficult to continue in sports. There should be other motivations like improvements in their feeding and refreshments, and promotions of gold and silver medalists to new ranks.
“Those who won bronze and other participants should be given recommendations. If you can’t give them money, promote and recommend them so that with their new remuneration they can easily take good care of their health and other needs,” she maintained.
Blueprint reports that the game which is in its day 3 had produced gold, silver and bronze medalists across in different categories. In Teakwondo finals, Zone 11 won 6 gold medals in males and females senior categories, Force headquarters got 2, Zone 9 secured 1, Zone 8 (one), Zone 6 (two), while those on silver side are Zone 7 (one), Zone 11 (two), Zone 3 (one), Zone 2 (four), Force Headquarters (one), Zone 6 (two). Results of other games played on Monday were still tripping in as at press time.
