Nigeria Must Protect Her Good Name

As Team Nigeria begins to depart for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, the Nigeria Boxing Federation (NBF) says the team must protect the country’s good image in Australia by playing according to rules.
NBF’s board member, Osondu Ogbu told Tidesports source on Wednesday, in Lagos that the country’s good name should not be traded for anything at the games.
He appealed to the contingent to conduct themselves properly to be good ambassadors.
Tidesports reports that the first batch of athletes, coaches, loaders, helpers and medical personnel departed Nigeria on Saturday for the Games taking place in Queensland, Australia.
No fewer than 70 countries will participate at the 2018 Commonwealth Games tagged 2018 Gold Coast which takes place from April 4 to April 15.
The Commonwealth Games will feature at least 275 events in 20 sports.
Ogbu said: “It is expected of our representatives to be good ambassadors of our great country, Nigeria, both on the field of play and off the field.
“It is also necessary to emphasise that the rules of each sport must be strictly observed by our athletes to avoid disqualification or any form of embarrassment.
“The authorities have played their part – from national trials and selection to camping and departure – for the games; so, we expect good performances from the athletes in return.”
Ogbu hailed the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports for ensuring that the athletes had adequate preparations which, he said, would enable them to bring honour to Nigeria.
Ogbu, the South-East Zone representative of NBF, charged boxers to put in their best as they compete in their weight categories of the male and female classes.
According to him, this will be a way to prove their competency and justify their selection