Wrestling: Kaduna Laments Poor Officiating … It’s Not True-Officials

As the 17th National Sports Festival tagged Garden City Games 2011 enters its fourth day, the Kaduna State wrestling contingents to the games have complained of poor officiating which have denied them of a medal.

The Kaduna State wrestling coach, Musa Jibrin who said this in an exclusive interview with Tidesports at the Part Harcourt civics centre alleged that one of his wrestlers was denied of a medal in his match with Cross River State.

Coach Jibrin said that from all indications, his wrestler’s performance was better than that of his Cross River State opponent, but expressed surprise that at the end of the match, the Cross River State wrestler was declared the winner. “Kaduna State is doing well but we have been asking them to give us the actual score, which is not what they are doing.

We keep on protesting, nobody hears us when Kaduna scored the point, they carried it and give it to adifferent person, his opponent from Cross River State.

“So they are not sincere in their officiating” he said.

Coach Jibrin further said that the officiating crew must learn to reward merit and hardwork, stressing that his people are not happy over the situation of things as far as wrestling is concerned.

Hear him, “we are not happy, they should adjust the way they officiate,” stressing that if the situation continues like this, the Kaduna State wrestling contingents will have no choice but to protest to the organising committee of the game.

However in a swift reaction the chairmen of the Nigerian Amateur wrestling Referee Association, Mr. Kalu Agugu denied the claims by the Kuduna State wrestling coach that the officiating referee of his game with Cross River State was biased.

Mr Agugu said that the game of wrestling provides opportunity for every coach to lodge an on the spot complain for a redress.

“In wrestling there is noting like poor officiating because wrestling is a different game entively.

“If you have any complain on that spot you have the right to thrown in a signal and you will be link to the scene of that game” he said.