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 Nigeria Football Federation has defended the recent quarter-finals draw for the 2025 President Federation Cup, saying it was conducted in line with best global practices.
A member of the NFF Executive Committee Board, George Aluo, stated that criticism over venues for the quarterfinals was unfortunate.
Going by the fixtures released on Saturday by the football body, Abakaliki FC will take on Nasarawa United in Benin, Wikki Tourists will clash with Ikorodu City in Bwari, Abuja, Akwa United and Kwara United will fight it out in Enugu, just as Area 3, Abuja, will host the encounter between Rangers International and Plateau United. All matches are scheduled for May 3rd for the emergence of semifinalists in a leg affair.
However, there have been criticisms over the Ikorodu United vs Wikki Tourist tie billed for Abuja, with a section of the press saying the venue is skewed in favour of the Bauchi team.
Aluo, also the Chairman of the Nigeria National League (NNL), said: “Some of our media men need better education, and newsmen should not be like the fans out there on the streets. In the English FA Cup, it is always a one-legged pairing that can see a club like Arsenal host Manchester United at home”.
A new contract that will see Act Sports Di Oyibo Limited managing the career of Nigerian teqball specialist, Victor Oyemade, has been signed in Lagos.
The deal gives exclusive rights to Act Sports to manage, and exercise power of attorney over issues relating to the player’s welfare as it concerns his transactions, engagement for professional, promotional, sponsorships, endorsements, and exhibition purposes.
In signing the document, both parties also agreed that proper safeguards would be put in place to protect and promote the player’s interest at all times.
Director of Act Sports, Di Oyibo Limited, Pastor Samuel Robinson Oyibo, excited about the deal, said it would benefit both parties in the area of spreading the message of the sport, as well as laying a firm foundation for his new client’s future.
“Teqball is one of the world’s fastest-growing ball sports, and Victor Oyemade is the face of the sport here in Nigeria and Africa. That is why we are excited about this partnership that gives Act Sports official authorisation to manage his career, just as it will lay the foundation for its rapid growth in our country,” Pastor Oyibo said.
Oyemade was no less excited about the deal, saying it would help his growth in the sport.
Coaches of Nigeria’s U-18 and U-20 women’s handball teams have released their final lists of 14 players ahead of the IHF Women’s Trophy Zonal Phase, which will be held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, that commenced yesterday to end 24th of this month.
The two teams have been training at the Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba, Lagos, for close to two weeks and departed for the competition on Thursday.
Coach John Uzor of the national U-18 team has included Omole Joy of Defender Babes and her sister Omole Shola alongside Ojie Princess of Funad Academy alongside right back Faisat Balogun in the mix while Success Duru, Chetachi Ngaodurubie of COAS Babes and Sharon Okonkwo make the cut, amongst other players.
In the U-20 team, Coach Shittu Agboola has largely stuck with the players he has been grooming since their U-18 days. The team is led by Captain Chidera Ogbusimba alongside, her Rima Queens teammates the Samuel Sisters, Amina Mohammed and Joy Peters.
Israel-based Rahima Bello, Kehinde Babatunde of ASPAC HBC of Benin Republic and Esther Mathew, who is also based in Benin Republic, keep their places.
Coach Shittu believes his team will make Nigeria proud just as they did previously at the U-18 level.
“I am really upset that Taiwo Babatunde will not be part of the team for this competition as her school, Yaba College of Technology, insisted that they will not release her for national service because of examinations.
“We did everything humanly possible to secure her release and they didn’t care that it is a national service for the interest of Nigeria and the growth of sports. We have other players who are also students and they got a release from their schools but for no tangible reason, Yabatech refused to release Taiwo despite the fact that we did everything possible to secure her release. It’s sad and I hope the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Sports Commission will work in tandem so that schools will support our goal in making Nigeria proud in sporting events”.