Sports
Rugby Federation Set To Resolve Crisis
The crisis bedevilling the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF) for almost one year is set to be resolved soon as all parties to the crisis have agreed to meet in December.
NRFF President Dr Richard Ajayi announced the move in an interview with newsmen in Lagos last week.
Tidesports source reports that the International Rugby Board (IRB) banned Nigeria following the decision of the National Sports Commission (NSC) to concession some sports, including rugby, to individuals and corporate bodies.
NRFF was consequently concessioned to Racing Rugby Club, which led some individuals to petition the IRB which subsequently banned Nigeria from its activities.
Ajayi said the NSC and all rugby enthusiasts had been meeting to resolve the crisis and added that the planned December meeting would find a way of having the IRB ban lifted.
He, however, said the ban was “just on paper” as it did not stop the federation from taking part in international competitions.
The NRFF president said the federation’s grass roots programme had paid off handsomely.
He said the federation had a technical partnership agreement with South Africa’s Meties Rugby Academy with the aim of setting up an academy in the country, pointing out that the pact was part of the federation’s four-year development programme.
On his part, NRFF Chief Executive Officer Kayode Oguntayo said the federation was in constant touch with Nigeria’s foreign-based players with the aim of forming a national team.
Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.
The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.
We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.
Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.
It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.
Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.
The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.