The performance of your country in a recent international sports competition has generated a lot of comments. Write a letter to the editor of one of your na...

Model answer: Letter to the Editor on the country's sporting performance.

This is a formal letter. It must carry only the writer's address, the date, the recipient's designation and address, a salutation, a heading, the body, and a formal close. No headline or by-line is required, but a clear title is expected.

15 Unity Road,
Ikeja,
Lagos State.
10 July, 2026.

The Editor,
The National Mirror,
Broad Street,
Lagos.

Dear Sir,

OUR DISAPPOINTING PERFORMANCE AT THE RECENT GAMES

I write to express, through your widely read newspaper, my concern over the poor performance of our national contingent at the recently concluded international sports competition, and to draw attention to the factors behind it and the lessons we must learn.

Several factors were responsible for the level of performance recorded. First, our athletes were poorly funded and inadequately prepared. Camping began too late, allowances were paid irregularly, and some athletes lacked proper equipment. Secondly, the selection process was tainted by favouritism, so that a number of deserving athletes were left at home while less able ones travelled. Thirdly, there was a lack of experienced, well paid coaches and modern training facilities. Finally, poor administration and internal wrangling among sports officials distracted the team from the serious business of competition.

There are important lessons to be learnt from this experience. We must invest steadily in sports development from the grassroots, discover and nurture talent early, and stop the culture of last minute preparation. Selection must be transparent and based strictly on merit. Government and the private sector should provide modern facilities and reward both athletes and coaches adequately. Above all, sports administration must be placed in the hands of competent and honest people.

If these lessons are taken seriously, I am confident that our nation will return to sporting glory. I hope you will find space to publish this letter.

Yours faithfully,
Chidi Okafor

Note: Marks reward correct formal-letter format, a suitable heading, clear separation of causes and lessons, orderly paragraphing, and accurate expression.