Cape Coast, March 4, GNA - The Central Regional Minister, Mr Isaac Edumadze on Thursday advised students not to hide behind sporting activities to indulge in social vices such as drug abuse, alcoholism, smoking and immoral sexual relationship.

He said society frowns on such social vices and so there was the need for students to therefore keep away from such practices since it is not productive but rather destroy their future up bringing.

Mr Edumadze gave the advise at the opening of the Central Regional 15th Annual Regional Athletics championship at the Adisadel College park at Cape Coast.

About 500 athletes from 50 second cycle schools from the Region are to compete in pole vault, triple jump, shot putt, discuss, long jump, javelin, 200 metres, 4 by100 metres and 800 metres at the two-day competition.

The Regional Minister told the students to disabuse their minds that sports was only meant for the intellectually weak, stressing that some countries and individuals have made huge gains from sports and that sports can be equated to any business enterprise when well managed. Mr Edumadze said those who were fortunate to be combining sports with other school disciplines would grow up to have diversified trades to choose from.

He regretted that the country's high sports pedigree was gradually loosing its position and said the trend cannot go on unchecked, and therefore asked that such sporting competitions should be used to plan various strategies to reclaim the lost glories.

The Regional Minister cautioned the competing schools and athletes that his office would not tolerate any form of hooliganism or indiscipline and asked the participants to learn to tolerate other adding that it was necessary that "we learn to be gallant losers". He advised the officials to conduct the competition fairly and to ensure that only the best emerges to represent the Region.

Mr Albert Ayimful, the Regional Chairman of Schools and Colleges Sports Association told the competing schools put in their maximum best in the competition to enable them qualify for the national event and also urged the officials to approach their work with professionalism and fairness in their decisions.

He advised sports teachers to be vigilant so as to stop the students from indulging in social vices that would be detrimental to their growth.

A minute's silence was observed for the former headmaster of Adisadel College, Mr E.K Kitten who passed away last year. 04 Mar. 05