Following the official announcement by the government recently that it has lifted the ban on non-contact sports in the country, many stakeholders have begun to react while some commended the government for its decision others felt that there is no reason why the Presidential Task Force for COVID-19 would leave contact sports behind.
The non-contact sports that the government lifted ban are included: Table tennis, Tennis, Squash, Badminton, Golf, Athletics, and host of others.
Reacting to the partial lockdown on sporting activities, chairman Surulere Regional League, Alhaji Abiodun Salau has expressed happiness and commended the government for lifting the ban on non-contact-sports which bring relief to the majority of sports stakeholders in the country.
“We the executive members and entire members of Surulere Regional League have saluted the government for looking into the sports sector and took the bold step to ease lockdown in some sporting activities in the last five months.i am happy and excited that government has shown compassion in the sector by lifting the ban in non-contact sports. It shows that in the few weeks to come, the king of sport, football, and other sporting activities would receive government attention too. It is my pleasure to welcome the government decision taken recently in the sports sector which I believe there is hope for sportspeople in days to come,” he said.
Salau cautioned some football stakeholders who are still angry and bittered with the government over the continued closure of sports centers nationwide to exercise patience and desist from any form of sporting activities apart from non-contact sporting activities.
“We will continue to urge our colleagues who are bittered to calm down and work with the government. I understand their feeling presently but at this moment, we need to pray against this deadly disease so that football activities would resume as soon as possible,” he said.
Asked if Surulere League would still commence this year in Lagos, Salau said as soon as government lifts total ban on sporting activities, the league would kickoff saying all participants are ready for the league to commence.
