Subsidy Removal Forces HFN To Postpone Camping

The Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN) has postponed the camping of players, earlier scheduled for this month, blaming the removal of fuel subsidy for the action.

HFN President Dauda Yusuf told newsmen that the camping, planned to hold in Kaduna, had been postponed because of the prevailing situation in the country.

Yusuf said the postponement would enable the federation to make adequate logistic arrangements in line with the new development.

He noted that it became pertinent to postpone the event as the removal of fuel subsidy would impact negatively on the allowances budgeted for the players and officials.

“Because of the recent development, we need time to put our house in order and have a remarkable camping so that we can achieve our target of getting the best from those to be camped,’’ he said.

Players, who were invited for the camping, were the young male and female players identified at the National Open Championships which held from December 10 to 20 in Kano last year.

Yusuf described the subsidy removal as a welcome development but frowned at the timing, saying it had affected the camping and welfare of the players.

“It is a good step. however, I don’t think it is coming at the right time. By our timetable, players and officials are expected to be in camp early this month. It has disrupted our programme,’’ he said.

Yusuf appealed to the National Sports Commission (NSC), private and public sector organisations to support the game through funding.

He urged state teams, clubs and players to renew their membership with HFN as it was a requirement for their participation in the federation’s programmes.

“We expect them to update their membership which permits them to take part in any of our events, the records will be referred to during any event to identify ineligible players,’’ Yusuf said.

The HFN president also assured players of a busy year, adding that technical officials from Sweden would be invited to update coaches and referees on the current trends in the sport in the first quarter of the year.