The Ethiopian Youth and Sport Academy that is established to produce elite sport’s personalities at all levels is reduced to a government run boarding school busy complaining about a budget shortage, procurement procedures and accommodation problems. “It is because of government procurement regulations that we cannot supply necessary items for the athletes,” The Academy Director Anbesaw Enyew told reporters after visiting the campus.
With number of young athletes boarded at the academy appearing on live transmission complaining about the shortage and low quality food, absence of training assortments and other facilities. “How come one is expected to burst in to world stage like Haile G/Selassie and Derartu Tulu consuming rice day in and day out,” a young athlete from the Amhara region aspiring to emulate world renowned distance athletes remarked.
“It is not only about the food we also have no training equipment despite the daily trainings. They promised on our arrival they will provide a minimum of three training clothing to each athlete. But here we are in the second year in the Academy with just a single item.” A seventeen year-old athlete told the reporters. “See my training shoes are torn apart everywhere and my jersey is knotted at the shoulder. Most of my mates are in the same situation,” she added.
One of the instructors stated that it is shame when the Academy is meant to produce elite athletes is busily engaged in such silly matters the likes of food and training assortments. “The athletes need proper handling in every way but it is not true here,” he suggested.
However, rather than directing and finding solutions, Anbesaw blamed the government procurement practice for being tight, the expensiveness of importing training materials and how inadequate the 66 Birr daily budget per athlete is. If he is there to complain rather than come up with a solution what is he there to direct?
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