Sports
All African Games: Our Plan Is To Win Many Medals -Igali
The president, Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF), Daniel Igali says the federation plans to be one of the highest medal winning teams at the impending 12 All African Games in Rabat, Morocco.
Igali made the remark at the opening ceremony of the 3rd edition of the Governor Dickson National Wrestling Classics, holding at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Samson Siasia Stadium, Yenagoa, Bayelsa.
Igali added that being a pre-Olympic year, the tournament promises to be one of the most important for participating athletes and officials.
“Not only is this our national championships, it also doubles as our trials for selection to the African Games which takes place in Morocco in August and the World Championships in Kazakhstan in September, this year.
“Additionally, in line with the rules and regulations of the NWF, coaches and officials of the top teams in this championships will form the nucleus of the coaching crew to our international engagements,’’ he said.
The Olympian added that the NWF is determined to be one of the highest medal-winning teams at the All African Games scheduled to hold in August.
“Also, the World Wrestling Championships in Kazakhstan is the first Olympic qualifying tournament for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
“We are equally poised to win medals and or place most of our national team wrestlers in the top 6 positions at the World Championships, to qualify enough of them for the 2020 Olympics.
“At consecutive Continental Championships and multi-sport international engagements such as the All African Games and the Commonwealth Games, Wrestling has been one of the highest medal winning sports for Nigeria.
“At the last All African Games in Congo Brazzaville, the wrestling team presented 23 wrestlers and won twenty medals, including 9 gold medals, comparatively one of the highest medal winning sports at the Brazzaville Games.
“Even at the most recent Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast Australia, Wrestling was the highest medal winning sport, presenting 12 athletes and winning 8 medals, including three gold medals,’’ he said.
Igali thanked Governor Seriake Dickson and the sport-loving people of Bayelsa for the enormous support wrestling had enjoyed from the state.
“Not only are we financially supported, we also have the moral and emotional support from the state government.
“At the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014, Gov. Dickson personally went to Scotland to support the wrestling team.
“More significantly, after the last Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast Australia, Gov. Dickson was the only governor in the country that hosted the Wrestling team and gave mouth-watering financial incentives to all members of the team,’’ he said.
Igali congratulated and commended the governor and Government of Bayelsa for being the first state in the country to commence the construction of a befitting dedicated Wrestling gym of international standard.
“We recognise that this gym will not only benefit Bayelsa athletes, the National Wrestling team which has made Bayelsa State its training and camping base, will have a lot to benefit from this stand alone, dedicated Wrestling gym.
“We hereby encourage Gov. Dickson to ensure that the Gym is completed in good time, so we can use it to prepare for the various Olympic qualifying tournaments and the Olympic Games proper.
“We also use this opportunity to implore other state governments to follow in the footsteps of Gov. Dickson and the Bayelsa Government, by building befitting professional training facilities to aid the development of sports in the country,’’ he said.
Igali said that Bayelsa had become the hub of wrestling in the country over the past two decades.
“This is the 6th edition of the Bayelsa Governor’s Wrestling Classics which the NWF has adopted as our National championships.
“We thank Gov. Dickson and the Government of Bayelsa for the sponsorship of the longest-running National Championship series in the history of wrestling in Nigeria.
“We remain confident that with the assurance of continuity in the governance of Bayelsa, we will continue to enjoy the same patronage from whoever succeeds you as Governor.
“As we commence preparations for the All African Games, the World Championships and Olympic qualifying tournaments, we rely on your continued goodwill and support.
‘As a culture-loving Governor who promotes and protects our unique culture at every opportunity, I want to use this opportunity to solicit your help in funding our wrestling support group (dancers and drummers), to support this wrestling team in Morocco in August.
“Morocco would be glad to have a taste of the unique Bayelsa Wrestling Ogele,’’ Igali said.
The 12th All African Games is scheduled to hold from Aug. 19 to Aug. 31, 2019.
The National Sports Commission (NSC) says it will no longer pay athletes training grants in foreign currency.
The development came after sprinter, Kayinsola Ajayi, alleged foul play regarding the disbursement of training grants by the Commission.
Head of NSC’s Elite Athletes Development and Podium Board, Yusuf Alli, told Tidesports source on Friday that it was wrong of Ajayi to rubbish the good intention of the NSC, saying: “I have been in athletics for over 40 years now, and this current NSC Board, led by Mallam Shehu Dikko and Bukola Olopade, has done what others could not do. So far, the NSC has spent over N200 million in payment of training grants for athletes ahead the 2026 Commonwealth Games and preparation for Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.”
The NSC sourced the money from the private sector. It has never happened before. “I expected the athletes to encourage the NSC so that it can do more instead of raising unnecessary alarm and making allegations that is capable of discouraging them (NSC) and even the sponsors. It takes good initiative and trust for sports administrators in Nigeria to convince sponsors to donate money for welfare of athletes,” he said.
Speaking further, Alli, whose long jump record of 8.27m set in 1989 (35 years ago) is still unbroken, said: “We have decided that henceforth, all payment of training grants will be in Naira. No more payment of grants in U.S. dollars. We are Nigerians, and everyone knows that the exchange rate is not stable. As at the time Ajayi got his money, the rate of dollars to Naira may have changed
“I expected him to make a call either to myself or anybody in the Elite Board, or even the NSC to find out what happened instead of resorting to such allegation.
“If we make payment in Naira, any athlete who wants to convert his or her money to any foreign currency can tell their people back home to do so. I am sure this will solve the problem. If anybody wants to know how much he is entitled to, he must first of all find out the category that he or she belongs to.”
Alli disclosed that coaches, who train the athletes would soon get their grant. “They train the athletes, and the NSC feel is it not proper to leave them out in payment of grants. We have compiled their names, and very soon, the coaches would get their money,” Alli stated.
The chairman of the Nigeria Premier Football League, Gbenga Elegbeleye, has directed that a minute’s silence be observed before kick-off at all Matchday 30 fixtures this weekend in honour of former Green Eagles captain Henry Nwosu, following the death of the former midfielder at the age of 62.
In a statement made available to Tidesports source on Saturday, the league body confirmed that the tribute would be held across all matches to recognise the contribution of the former international to Nigerian football.
Elegbeleye described Nwosu’s passing as both a personal loss and a painful moment for the country’s club football community.
Nwosu, who was the youngest member of Nigeria’s squad that won the 1980 African Cup of Nations, died in the early hours of Saturday at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital in Ikeja after a brief illness.
The former midfielder had reportedly spent several days in hospital receiving intensive care before his death.
Elegbeleye said the late footballer was more than a colleague within the sport, describing him as someone with whom he had maintained a long-standing personal relationship dating back to his time at the National Sports Commission.
He said the former national team star had remained supportive of him in various moments of his career, including when he was nominated for the Pitch Football Awards.
Reflecting on Nwosu’s legacy, the NPFL chairman said the news represented the loss of a major figure in Nigerian football, noting that the former midfielder distinguished himself not only at club level but also later contributed to the development of the domestic game as a coach.
Elegbeleye said the death of the former international was “the death of a true ambassador of the domestic and national team football because he not only made his mark as a player in league clubs, but he also coached some of the league clubs.”
He added that death remained a submission to the will of God and prayed for the repose of Nwosu’s soul while urging strength for his family as they mourn the loss of their loved one.
Earlier confirmation of the former midfielder’s death came from former Nigeria international Segun Odegbami, who revealed that Nwosu died after spending five days in hospital. Odegbami said the former player passed away at about four o’clock in the morning at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment in intensive care.
“It is with deep pain in my heart that I have to be the conveyor of the news of the death of Henry Nwosu MON,” Odegbami said.
“After five days in hospital battling for his life, the one I call ‘Youngest Millionaire’ passed on at four o’clock this morning at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos, where he had been in intensive care since Wednesday. May he rest peacefully with our Creator in heaven”.
At the club level, the former international spent most of his career in Nigeria, starring for New Nigeria Bank FC of Benin City and African Continental Bank FC of Lagos during a period when both sides were among the dominant forces in domestic football. His performances later earned him moves abroad, where he also played for ASEC Mimosas of Ivory Coast and Racing FC Bafoussam of Cameroon.
Nigeria’s Women Basketball team, D’Tigress, is targeting victory against Philippines this Saturday in their third game at the ongoing FIBA Women’s World Cup qualification tournament holding in Lyon, France.
The Coach Rena Wakama-led D’Tigress, on Thursday, lost their second game 60-77 to South Korea, making it the first time the Nigeria senior women basketball team is losing to their Asian opponent.
After this Saturday’s game against Philippines, D’Tigress will face two European giants, France and Germany.
Both Nigeria and Germany had already qualified for the FIBA Women’s World Cup slated for September in Berlin, Germany. They are only taking part in the qualification competition in Lyon as preparatory test ahead of the World Cup.
In Thursday’s game against South Korea, the Nigerians had a closed game in the first and second quarter losing narrowly by 36-32 points but couldn’t build their usual momentum in the third and final quarter as the game slipped away from them.
Coach Rena Wakama said they learnt quickly from the loss to South Korea, and charged her girls to quickly put the defeat behind them and focus on an improved performance in their game against the Philippines.
“South Korea is a great team. We struggled today (Thursday) shooting the balls and we turned over the ball 22 times, which is not typical of our game.
“Mentality we are fine, and we are not going to over react to the loss. There are lessons in losses so we are going to take the lessons from this game and try to get better and be ready for our next game.
“The Koreans were very physical, denying our passing lanes and double up on our players. They did a great job and credit to them,” Wakama stated.
Victoria Macaulay was Nigeria’s best performer after her MVP display in the first game against Colombia, scoring 22 points and 6 rebounds.
South Korea is hoping to pick one of the two World Cup tickets in the round robin qualification tournament to join Nigeria and Germany for the FIBA Women’s World Cup in September in Berlin, Germany.
The FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament is currently taking part in four counties – France, Turkey, Puerto Rico and China as countries fight to make the World Cup.
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