Rugby Union Resolves Crisis

Adeniyi Beyioku, Secretary, Nigeria Rugby Football Union (NRFU) has said on Tuesday that the crisis in the body had been resolved following the intervention of Sports Minister Taoheed Adedoja.

He said he was hopeful that the ban on Nigeria by the Confederation of African Rugby (CAR) would be lifted this month.

“At the peace meeting called by the NOC Secretary-General on behalf of the minister, stakeholders in the crisis agreed on some terms,” Beyioku told newsmen in Lagos.

“Part of the agreement is power sharing. In the arrangement, Racing Rugby Club, the winner of the concession was given the position of the president and chief executive officer.

“The Friends of Rugby, who contested the process of the concession, was given the post of vice-president,’’ Beyioku said.

He said that the report of the resolution would be forwarded to CAR once he got the names of the zonal representatives on the board.

“The only thing delaying sending of the report of the peace resolution to CAR is the names of the zonal representatives.

“The zonal elections have not been concluded but in two weeks time, all the names of the zonal representatives will ready, then we will adequately inform CAR.

“All what CAR is asking us to do is to conduct elections in line with the continental body’s guidelines which we have done.

“So, before the end of the month we expect the ban to be lifted,’’ Beyioku said.

In line with the National Sports Commission’s private public partnership policy, Racing Rugby Club of Lagos won the concession to run rugby and appointed members into the board.

But the Friends of Rugby wrote to CAR complaining about the way the concession process was carried out.

CAR then faulted the process, banned Nigeria from its activities and instructed NRFU to conduct elections into its board.