Bunmi Haruna, chairman of the Sports Writers' Association of Nigeria (SWAN) FCT chapter, has called for the inclusion of the body on the National Sports Commission (NSC) board.
The newly elected chairman stated this in his presentation at the Senate Committee on Sports public hearing on the bill seeking to establish the National Sports Commission and the Federal Sports University, Nkalagu Ebonyi state
"Those who should have a say in sports should be part of the National Sports Commission, NSC. Hence, the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) should be included in the board," Haruna said.
"The importance of the NSC is such that we cannot resort to not include the body that acts as a bridge between the sportsmen, administrators, the people, and invariably the private sector in it. Sports is business and SWAN is the vehicle on which it is sold, so neglecting SWAN in the composition of the NSC is omitting an important part of the commission.
He also believes it is of great importance to smoothen the relationship between the Director-general of the commission and minister of Sports to foster a better working atmosphere between both parties.
"We also observe that the power tussle between the Minister and the Director-General, NSC was largely responsible for the scrapping of the commission the last time.
"So there is a great need for a clear demarcation of the duties of these principal officers in the new look NSC."
He also applauded the bill's initiative muted by the National Assembly on the establishment of the NSC and a sports university in Ebonyi state.
"The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN, would like to thank the National Assembly for coming up with these bills, this shows in a great deal that we have forward-thinking legislators that are not only interested in moving the country forward but also create more opportunities for the youths.
"SWAN supports the establishment of the NSC because it is a model that has worked for Nigeria in the past and it is the trend in the developed countries where sports is real business. In the US, it is called the National Association of Sports Commissions (NASC), in Australia, it is called Sport Australia, formally the Australian Sports Commission, the Australian Government agency responsible for supporting and investing in sport in Australia, In Canada, it is called Sports Canada, in South Africa, the South Africa Sports Commission, in Japan, it is called sports commission of Japan, etc.
While responding, chairman of Senate Committee on Sports, Senator Obinna Ogba, praised SWAN for their fantastic presentation and acknowledged that points raised were genuine and will be considered