Handball Federation Prepares For Zone III Challenge Trophy

The Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN), says it will begin preparations for the ninth Zone III Challenge Trophy in Cote D’Ivoire with the National U-18 and U-21 Championships in August.

HFN Secretary Sola Luke told our correspondent  in Lagos that the national championships would hold from July 29 to August 7 in Minna, Niger State.

Luke said that it would be used to select players for Zone III tournament between Nigeria, Ghana, Togo and hosts Cote d’Ivoire from Aug. 22 to August 29.

“The championships will afford us the opportunity of seeing the young players display their skills and from there, we will pick the outstanding ones to form formidable teams.

“The selected players would be camped immediately after the championships for further preparations to enable them to excel because most of them have limited exposure,’’ he said.

Luke said the federation wanted to present male and female teams that could make a mark at the Confederation of Africa Handball (CAHB) competition.

He said the event would also help in the preparation of players for the Commonwealth U-17 Championships in Yaounde, Cameroun in September.

He disclosed that the Africa Youth Championships in Gabon from July 23 to July 31 had been postponed by the CAHB because of the Zone III Challenge Trophy.

The secretary, however, urged all states to ensure that their players were duly registered with the HFN as non-registered players would not be allowed to participate in the championships.