Sports

JOE Akabuike, the Chief Medical Director of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH) has called on professional and passive sportsmen and sportswomen to always obtain medical advice for their physical fitness.

 Akabuike gave the advice on Monday while speaking on the just concluded Youths Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON) U-17 Igwe Nanka football championship in Anambra.

The CMD  said football like other sports, not only gave fame and fortune but physical activity and healthy living.

He encouraged people of all ages to engage in physical exercise commensurate with their abilities.

He, however, pointed out that they should seek medical counselling before embarking on such activities to prevent unpalatable outcome.

According to him, sports are synonymous with life, when the body is kept without physical activity, it tends to cause several illnesses.

He said sports also helped to relieve tension for the players and those watching games like football; it also kept youths gainfully busy.

“There is no basic minimum exercise for anybody, it has to do with the individual’s strength; what is important is that there is physical fitness which doesn’t have anything to do with age. 

“Whichever exercise anybody does, a doctor should advise him, anybody who has an underlying illness like heart problem, irrespective of the age, can still die when you subject the heart to sudden challenges and it fails to respond,” he said.

Akabuike thanked Godwin Ezeilo, the traditional ruler of Nanka town, for realising the importance of sports and agreeing to sponsor the competition as well as the organisers for providing the platform for youths to exhibit their talents.

In the final matches decided on Sunday, Ozalla FC of Onitsha won the trophy after defeating Hopeland FC of Nnewi by 2-1 at the Awka Township Station to clinch the trophy.

Hopeland had gone ahead with a goal by Joshua Joshua in the opening half but a brace by Ukochukwu Chukwuebuka of Ozalla in the second half cancelled and sealed the game for his team.

In the third place game, Aguata Grassroots FC  walked over Soccer Stars of Onitsha to emerge third place winners.

Akonam Obiefuna, chairman of YSFON in Anambra, thanked God for the successful completion of the five-week soccer fiesta.

Obiefuna appealed to sports loving individuals, corporate bodies and traditional institutions to partner with  YSFON to keep youths in the state engaged. (NAN)

KN

Tags: Akonam Obiefuna COOUTH Godwin Ezeilo JOE AKABUIKE Ukochukwu Chukwuebuka