The Lagos State Sports Council has taken a decisive step to stop the poaching of its athletes by making them undergo screening exercise and signing of undertaking.

Before now, Lagos lost many athletes to other states during sports competitions like the National Sports Festival. Their inability to employ them was largely responsible. But they appear to be changing now.

Lagos athletes have been in camp and the state sports council cashed on the payment of their allowances to commit them as Lagos athletes. While receiving their allowance, the athletes were asked to sign an undertaking that read in part

The screening, which started on Tuesday 30th December at the Council, is being done during the payment of 3 months open camp allowancee to the athletes and honorary coaches. Each athletes is made to sign an undertaking that reads in part, "being an athlete of lagos State Government for the 16th National Sports Festival Kaduna 2009, admits to collecting this training allowance as undertaking and committment to represent Lagos in this festival and will be an athlete without representing any other state"

Explaning the rationale for the excercise, the chairman of the State Sports Concil, Barrister Yomi Dada stated that part of what is to be achieved is to be sure that those athletes are for Lagos State and that they were really in camp.

Dada further revealed that working on the quality of athletes to be paraded by Lagos State remained its most important strategy to be victorious at the festival. This is why every technical detail is being paid attention to.

The chairman also made it known that Lagos State Sports Concil has given every indication to remain committed to its resolve to provide athletes with welfare packagee, allowances and incentives that will encourage them to achieve remarkable success at the biennial sports competition.

The screening exercise is being coordinated by the technical committe of the council headed by Tunde Fatayi-William.