By: Sunday Agunbiade

The Chairman Media and Publicity for Delta State, Mr Charles Aniagwu has described the death of Imo State boxer the patriotic boxer from Imo at the ongoing National Sports Festival, NSF, State Chukwuemeka Ibanugo.as unfortunate.

Aniagwu stated this on Wednesday evening at the Media Centre in Asaba while briefing journalists covering the ongoing tournament. He explained that the Delta State Government provided more than enough human and medical facilities that could arrest such unfortunate incident

“We lost one of the athletes who before then was participating in this festival. He is from Imo State contigent and his name is Chukwuemeka Ibanugo. By records, he is 25 years old representing the state at 81kg category”.

“You have all seen the Medical Centre even here in this arena, you have also seen the number of ambulances. The same measure of Facilities are replicated in all our our game centres. Now at the event where the boxing took place, we have ringside medical personnel that usually checks whether you are fit to continue the fight. A day before the fight, he came and he was examined by the medical team and his BP was not normal and he was asked to leave.”

” Thereafter, he returned after awhile his BP when they discovered that his BP was normal but was asked to come again for another test and by the time the game started, they discovered that he had a little breathing from the nose. The medics wanted to stop the fight but of course he was desirous of victory because if he stopped it at that time, his opponent had won”.

“His coach and his team were desirous of victory not knowing that other development may have occurred internally. But at this time, it’s suggested that possibly what they called intercrannial bleeding may have occurred by the time punching came and possibly led to some of bleeding internally on his head. If it were to be stroke, it is called emoralic stroke in which the blood flows into the brain and it does take long for such person to pass on. He was immediately rushed to the clinic with a prepared ambulance to Asaba Hospital and at that time, he passed on. We were so pained, grief and as organizers of this event, we did all what we could. He wanted to be patriotic and he died not only for Imo State but for the entire nation “.

Thereafter, a minute silence was observed for the departed hero and they prayed for the reposed of the dead to rest in perfect peace. The 21st edition of National Sports Festival starred on 28th December and will end on Saturday, 10th December, 2022.