The factional and embattled president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN Ibrahim-Shehu Gusau has made a clarification that the recent call by the Federation at its Congress in Akwa, Anambra State for autonomy away from the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports was never made in bad taste.
Gusau while speaking with journalists, noted that his board since inauguration has been faced with one form of problem or the other but in all of that, they have been able to make some gains nonetheless.
The AFN boss said he is positive that with the requested autonomy, more gains will be achieved and he called on all to work together for the betterment of track and field in the country.
He said: “Let me make it abundantly clear that everything we have done has been with the best interests of athletes in mind and an innate desire to develop athletics in Nigeria.
“We believe that without athletes, there will be no sports and without sports, there will be no Sports Federation.
Gusau noting that President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR has been doing everything within his powers to attract foreign investment said securing for alternative means of funding the activities of the Federation will ease the pressure on Government and the scarce resources which are pursued by every sector of the economy.
“This is part of the reasons we seek autonomy to enable us increase the funding base of the Federation. The sponsorship deal signed with Puma attests to the capacity of this Board to attract private funding for sports from within and outside the country.
“The autonomy we are talking about is in so far as administering the Federation is concerned and had always been in existence in the statutes of the AFN, the CAA and the WA.
“We have always borne all expenses associated with the administration of the Federation.
“This does not however, preclude the Government, through the FMYSD, from meeting its obligations to the athletes.
“If athletes are representing Nigeria in a competition, it behooves on the government to take care of them because they are representing the country, not the Federation.” Gusau submitted.
Gusau warned that if the crisis rocking the AFN is not quickly nipped in the bud, it may be a clog in the wheel of progress ahead of the Olympic Games.
