Five-time African table tennis champion and five-time Olympian, Offiong Edem, has called for increased government and private-sector support for young table tennis players in Cross River State, saying the state has abundant talents capable of reaching the national and international stage.

Edem made the call in Calabar yesterday during the sixth edition of the Offiong Edem Foundation Table Tennis Championship kickoff, where she said lack of funding was limiting the development and exposure of promising players in the state.

The retired Olympian, who represented Nigeria at five Olympic Games before retiring after the Paris 2024 Olympics, said players needed regular participation in national and international tournaments to improve their skills and compete favourably with their counterparts elsewhere.

According to her, many players train throughout the year but are unable to attend tournaments outside the state because of inadequate funding.

“They need to go out to play tournaments. They practise all year, but they don’t go anywhere. They need to go and play national tournaments,” she said.

Edem, who began playing table tennis as a child at her grandmother’s table in Bayside, Calabar South, said her experience inspired her to establish the foundation to provide equipment and opportunities for young players.

She said she understood the challenges faced by young athletes because she also struggled to obtain rackets, shoes and other equipment at the early stages of her career.

“I decided to open a foundation in order to support the children with equipment. The idea of this foundation is to give back to society and support the children, not just in Cross River State,” she said.

She disclosed that the championship had continued to grow since its inception, attracting athletes from Cross River and other states, with more than 100 young players participating in the latest edition.

Edem, who currently coaches table tennis in Texas, United States, said she would be willing to contribute to the development of young Nigerian players if the necessary resources and structures were provided.

She, however, said young talents needed exposure beyond the state and country to learn modern techniques and compete at higher levels, noting that the standard of the game had evolved considerably.

According to her, Cross River has talented players who could make the national team and secure opportunities abroad if they received adequate training, funding and exposure.

She also urged the young athletes to remain disciplined, respect their coaches and set clear goals, while taking their education seriously.

Edem said she had largely funded the championship from her personal resources since its inception, adding that she had received financial assistance on only a few occasions.

She appealed to corporate organisations and other stakeholders to support table tennis, stressing that government alone could not meet the needs of all sporting disciplines.

The Commissioner for Sports in Cross River State, Agnes Atsu, commended the Offiong Edem Foundation for sustaining the championship and providing young athletes with an avenue to develop their skills. She said initiatives such as the tournament were important to identifying and nurturing sporting talents in the state.

Atsu encouraged the participating athletes to remain committed to their training and combine their sporting careers with education, while calling for greater collaboration among government, the private sector and sports foundations to create more opportunities for young talents in the state.