The National Sports Commission has thrown its weight behind the forthcoming Platinum Jubilee celebration of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria.
The AFN was founded in 1944.
Members of the Athletics Stakeholder, the committee responsible for the planning of Track and Field Platinum Jubilee Celebration, recently paid a courtesy visit to the Director General of the NSC, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye.
Speaking during the visit, the Chairman of the AFN Platinum Jubilee Celebration committee, Olukayode Thomas, told Elegbeleye that in the last 70 years, track and field has achieved so much and that all the principal characters behind the success story must be honoured and celebrated.
Thomas said: “Of the three gold medals won by Team Nigeria at the modern Olympic Games since Helsinki ’52 Games, two were won by track and field athletes. Tracks and field has also recorded more success than other sports at the Commonwealth Games and the All Africa Games.
“We have recorded success in all IAAF championships from World Championships to World Indoors, World Junior, World Cup, World Relays and other Championships.”
Thomas also said that track and field has ensured that many Nigerians were educated at home and abroad and some of them are top professionals in many sphere of human endeavour.
“We have decided to honour athletes, officials, coaches, corporate organizations and other stakeholders who have made all these and many other achievements possible,” he said.
Responding, Elegbeleye commended the Athletics Stakeholders for their initiative.
He assured them that the NSC is behind them and will give them all the support they need to ensure a successful celebration.
“Beside all these that you plan to do, am also appealing to you to organize a competition,” said Elegbeleye.
Responding, the committee’s head of operations, Olumide Bamiduro, who is also the scribe of the AFN, thanked Elegbeleye and the NSC for their support.
Bamiduro assured them that there will be a competition as part of the activities to mark the jubilee.
The organizing committee of the AFN Platinum Jubilee Celebration is headed by Thomas, while Bamiduro is the Director of Operations.
Others members included Falilat Ogunkoya, a member of AFN board; Yussuf Alli, former Captain of Team Nigeria; Henry Amike, the President of Olympians; and Olamide George, the Special Adviser to the Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko.
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