Delta’s participation in hockey tourney exposed critical gaps in sports development, says Sodje

Former Super Eagles defender, and executive board member of Delta Sports Commission, Sam Sodje, has revealed that there is urgent need for strategic reforms in the country’s sports sector.

Sodje was among Delta Sports Commission’s officials that accompanied Delta Queens hockey team to the just-concluded African Club Hockey Championships in Ismailia, Egypt.

In Egypt, Delta Queens failed to make appreciable impact, winning just one match and losing two, including a 1-3 defeat to Nigeria’s sports rival, Ghana Revenue Authority. While the team’s head coach Richard Adeoye blamed the defeat to Ghana on poor officiating by the umpire, the chairman of the Sports Commission, Onoriode Oborevwore, who watched the match, countered that the cry of poor officiating by the coach was just a way of covering up the team’s poor technical abilities.

“There was nothing like poor officiating in our match against Ghana,” Oborievwore told The Guardian shortly before the team departed Cairo for Lagos. “The Ghanaians were better technically and I expected our coach to say the obvious instead of crying wolf. I felt bad reading him accusing the Egyptian referee of bias. It does not tell a good story about us.”

Sodje, who also watched all matches played by Delta Queens hockey in Egypt, said that their trip to Egypt has exposed critical gaps in Delta State’s sports.

“One key revelation is the pressing need to revitalise grassroots sports development, which is essential for sustaining the state’s competitive edge,” Sodje said. “The Chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission (Onoriode Oborevwori) has made it clear that the current board will no longer support or fund mediocrity. Coaches overseeing various sports associations must demonstrate competence and commitment, or be eased into retirement.”

Sodje continues: “The Commission’s findings go beyond coaching inefficiencies. They highlight an overreliance on aging athletes, with little effort invested in discovering and nurturing new talent. This stagnation threatens the future of Delta State sports. This current board of the Sports Commission is determined to drive real change.”

We are committed to implementing a results-driven approach. This is a call on all stakeholders to align with this vision in line with the M.O.R.E. agenda of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.”

Also speaking, the Director General of the Sports Commission, Festus Ohwojero said: “Gone is the era when athletes were hired to represent Team Delta in competitions. We have a pool of talents for every sport in Delta State and it is the duty of the coaches involved to nurture and groom the budding talents.

“Every coach under the Commission must put in their efforts and work to nurture and groom talents to represent the state. Henceforth, there is no more hiring of athletes from other states to represent Delta State. Many of our coaches have become complacent, hoping on ready-made athletes and players in their quest to ‘win at all cost’ syndrome, and in the process making the grooming of young talents in the State to suffer neglect.

“From this moment, focus must shift to sports development at the grassroots to ensure sustainable growth and development of Delta State athletes and players. The State Government will provide the enabling equipment, facilities and environment for sports development to thrive in the State,” Ohwojero stated. While Ghana Revenue Authority won the women’s title, El Shakia of Egypt was second while Kada Queens of Kaduna finished third.