Sports
NTF’s Events On Hold Till Board’s Inauguration
The Secretary-General of Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF), Taiwo Oriss says the federation’s national events slated for the rest of July would be on hold till the new NTF board’s inauguration.
Oriss told newmen in Abuja that this was because of the unavailability of necessary “logistics’’ to execute the federation’s programmes.
“Execution of programmes requires deployment of logistics. Until the NTF board is inaugurated, all the activities slated for the remaining part of the year have to be on hold.
“This is because the board is key in putting the logistics together.
“Most of the events are to prepare the athletes and officials ahead of international events, but there is no fund to organise them the way they should be.
“National and zonal events fixed for July and beyond have to be on hold for now,’’ he said. The NTF secretary however assured that once the new board was inaugurated, all the events would get the required priority.
“This will ensure that the country will not be at the receiving end when the time for international events comes.
“Moreover, athletes improve according to their participation in competitions,” he said.
Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.
The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.
We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.
Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.
It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.
Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.
The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.