D'Tigers star, Tony Skinn

By Duro Ikhazuagbe

Recuperating D'Tigers star, Tony Skinn has expressed his appreciation to the National Sports Commission (NSC), for responding promptly to the injury he sustained in Nigeria's men's basketball game with Argentina.

He had a surgery at the Homerton Hospital here in London immediately after the game.

Speaking from his hospital bed Wednesday when the Sports Minister and Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi paid his a-get-well visit yesterday, Skinn said that the prompt response from the NSC has given him hope of being in safe hands with the Nigerian authorities.

He said he was particularly impressed by the concern the minister has shown since his injury and thanked Nigerians for the support they have given the nation's athletes participating at the Olympics.

Skinn said he was happy to be a member of the Nigerian basketball team at the Olympics and advised government to build on the achievement of the present team.

The minister who has monitored the athlete since his got injured, expressed happiness that the surgery was a success.

He pointed out that as a result of the performance of the basketball team, corporate bodies who developed the game of cricket in India have expressed interest in Nigerian basketball.

Abdullahi stressed that the team's performance in the qualifiers in Venezuela and at the London 2012 has brought the popularity of basketball at par with football in Nigeria.

He insisted that the Federal Government will continue to develop sports as well as make the welfare of Nigerian youths a priority.

Director of Sports Medicine at the NSC, Dr Abdulkadir Muazu, who accompanied the minister on the visit, said he expects the basketballer to regain full fitness by April next year. Skinn is expected to leave the hospital in a few days to continue his rehabilitation elsewhere in the United States of America where he resides.