It sounds incredulous that a physiotherapy association has existed in our sports firmament for 50 years and I never knew. Throughout my career as a football player the role of the physiotherapist was pivotal to my performance and fitness. Between the coach and the physio I don’t know who is more important. Perhaps the physio. As manager of some international athletes including Chioma Ajunwa and Charity Opara before the Atlanta Olympics I recall how much we invested to get a professional physio to work on them on a daily basis. Ask any athlete about the technical crew member closest to them. It is likely they would mention the physio even though we hardly ever acknowledge them and their role unless we think deeply.

So, the Physiotherapy Association of Nigeria is 50. It is using the occasion of its anniversary to draw attention to itself and its place in the development of sports through keeping athletes fit and managing their injuries and stresses. It has done what no other sports association has done, bring a former world class athlete to come and tell their story and illustrate vividly how physiotherapy helped shape their success story. Next Thursday, at the Banquet Hall of the renovated National Art Theatre, Lagos, Lee Evans will be guest of the association and all stakeholders in Nigerian sports will be entertained and educated with the inside story of one of the greatest athletes in the history of athletics!