Dr. Aniemena-George Chidi, a Sport and Exercise Physician Specialist, has advised sports men and women to drink more coconut water for its rich content in electrolyte, which every sports person needs.

He said most sports persons ignored this most important fruit and those who do not do sports rather rely on it on daily basis, stressing, “Use coconut water because it is healthy and provides everything that a sports person need”.

“Why do we have to buy gatorade and glucorade from the [western] world and can’t use coconut water which we have in abundance in our country to support the health and well-being of our sportsmen and women,” he quizzed.

He gave the advice while interacting with journalists after a training workshop organised by online betting company, Betway, for Volleyball and Table tennis teams in the New Juaben South Municipality of Eastern Region.

The training was on theme: “Betway Up” initiative, which is aimed at uplifting sport teams in Ghana.

Dr. Chidi explained that sports men and women in the country “don’t take their health very seriously,” forgetting that without good health they could participate in any sporting activity.

He said until health and psychological issues were treated with the utmost importance the country would always be lagging behind when it came to sports development in the country.

He called on the government, the private sector and all relevant stakeholders to invest in the development of sports in Ghana to place the country on the spotlight.

He said teams should put the necessary structures in place by having team doctors, physiotherapists, physical trainers, adding that there were a lot of trained specialists ready to support sports, and needed encouragement.