Judoka Banned For Double Registration

A Judoka, Junior Egbagbe-Segemo representing Edo State was banned yesterday from taking part at the ongoing 17th National Sports Festival in Port Harcourt for double registration.

 We learnt that Egbagbe-Segemo with registration number 8225 was contracted by Rivers State in January but defected to Edo after he has registered for Rivers.

 We further learnt that he has since collected the sum of N180,000 from Rivers as his salaries and emolument stipulated in the terms of the agreement.

 Aliu Mohammed, Technical Director, Nigeria Judo Federation (NJF) who confirmed it said that he was not only banned from the festival alone but from representing other states in subsequent festivals.  

 He said that the Judoka has contravened the rules guiding the sports festival and will have to face the consequence which is ban.

 He also said that NJF will go tough on athletes with criminal tendencies in order not to ridicule the reputation of the sport and the federation.

 He also said that Egbagbe-Segemo will forfeit the N180,000 he collected from Rivers.

 “What he did was criminal, we would have handed him over to the police but we do not want to cause unnecessary scene.

 “He has been banned from representing any state in this festival or subsequent ones,“ he said.

 Effort to speak with the athlete or the coaches of the two states was rebuffed as they almost caused a scene at the Civic Centre, venue of the Judo event.