THERE is still uncertainty over the participation of Blessing Onyebuchi at the 2016 World Wrestling Olympic Qualification Tournament 2 scheduled to hold between 6–8 May 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey.
This follows the inability of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF) to secure necessary funding from the National Sports Commission (NSC) for her trip.
The Istanbul event is the final qualification tournament for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil. Competitors of this tournament failed to qualify for the Olympics through performance at the 2015 World Wrestling Championships at their respective regional qualifier.
Seven wrestlers have already secured slots for the Rio Games and the opportunity of the NWF to add another one is in serious doubt following the paucity of funds.
“We don’t know if Onyebuchi will travel as I am talking to you. The president of the federation, Daniel Igali is right now in Abuja to see the Honourable Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung. Everything has been put in place but we are waiting for the approval from the ministry,” a source in the wrestling federation told SportingLife yesterday evening.
Recalled that Blessing Onyebuchi FW 75kg and Melvin Bibo FS 74kg, who won bronze at the Africa /Oceania Olympic qualifier in Algiers, Algeria are supposed to try their luck again at this last qualifier in Turkey. But after consultations, the federation decided that only Onyebuchi should travel with a coach to Istanbul.
WRESTLING OLYMPIC QUALIFIER: Uncertainty trails Onyebuchi’s participation
