Association Decries Lack Of Volleyball Sponsorship

The Chairman, Nigeria

Volleyball Referees Association (NVRA),  Mr Anthony Oresegun, said yesterday that the lack of sponsors for volleyball tournaments was responsible for the under-development of referees.

Oresegun said in an interview with Tidesports in Abuja that Nigeria lacked tournaments that could have helped the referees to enhance their knowledge.

“The challenges are we lack championships in Nigeria; now if we have sponsors, we will be bringing in referees and they will be updating themselves. Even if you train day in day out and there are no championships, you cannot progress.

“But, if we have championships, that is where you test your skill; when you are within yourself, reading, seeing it on the television or elsewhere, that does not make you to progress; but, when you practice what you have read, seen and thought, then the confidence will be there.”

He said though plans were on for the training of referees, the association still needed funds for the training.

“The plans are in the pipeline; we are looking for sponsors to train referees, because it is not easy to train referees, at least, you will need 1.5 million naira to train a set of indoor referees because the instructors that will come, you must accommodate them.

“Even the people that have trained, they need to retrain themselves. After the training, the certificate does not do the job; it is you as an individual; and once you let yourself to be obsolete, you will not be able to perform.”

According to Oresegun, the association is working towards improving female participation because the country has only one female international badge referee.

“Considering the fact that the Federation of International Volleyball (FIVB) is putting up programmes to encourage female participation internationally, we are thinking of how to get girls of good age.

“This is because we have only one female international badge referee, who got her badge about three weeks ago. Three other ones will soon have their international matches, and they will be assessed hoping to get their badges too.

“For now, we have the prospect of having eight international referees, can you compare that with Togo which have about six international referees, Egypt have about 100? It is not because they are good but because they have sponsors. But in Nigeria here, you have to do it yourself.’’

The referee, however, expressed optimism that with time, things would get better, saying: “I believe with time, we will get there because we are trying to get some states to sponsor some of our programmes for this year.

“It is not something we can just do on our own. We are trying to get Ondo, Lagos, Akwa Ibom and Kaduna states who are volleyball-playing states to support us. I assure you that before our tenure runs out, we will try and put some things in place.”