Category: Sports

Two ex-swimmers who participated in the maiden edition of the National Sports Festival in 1973, said they got ball pens and snacks as their reward.

The duo, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos, regretted that they were not handsomely rewarded during their days.

Comparing their days with what obtains now, they said: “Our time was a child’s play to compare with today. Nowadays, athletes are rewarded financially unlike our time which was mere handshake with the state executives.’’

One of them, Bright Misabi, a swimmer from Bayelsa, who featured for Lagos State during his hey days, said the biennial competition had grown astronomically.

“I cannot believe that it is this same Games where we were given ball pens, towels, hangers and scholarships that people are making fortunes from,’’ he said.

Misabi said he envied today’s athletes for their prospects and noted that they never had such plethora of opportunities in their time. He said that the objectives of the festival were being achieved, adding that Nigeria had remained united, in spite of the socio-political and ethno-religious differences.

The other, Wemimo Adebanwo-Raja, who also represented Lagos at the 1973 edition of the Games, said they took part in sports when passion was their only motivator unlike now.

“National interest was our inspiration, but today, the rhythm has changed to economic interest,’’ she said.

She regretted that she was now old and no longer active to partake in today’s goodies that accompany the competition. She called on the sports federations and state associations to always give preference to ex-athletes in selecting officials for events to engender professionalism in the Games.

However, in spite of their old age and frail looking stature they still have a knack for swimming.

Ferguson Oluigbo, President, Nigeria Taekwondo Referees Association (NTRA), on Friday said that 50 referees would be trained to officiate with electronic equipment at the 18th National Sports Festival.

The festival, tagged “Eko 2012’’, will be staged by the Lagos State Government from Nov. 27 to Dec. 9.

Oluigbo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that a seminar to acquaint them with the current rules and regulations of the sport would be conducted between Nov. 26 and Nov. 28.

“Our aim is to ensure that the competition is managed in such a way to avoid competitors protesting against unfair judgment on the part of the referees. The electronic scoring media will be used during the competition; therefore, officials need to be trained on the use of the equipment prior the festival. They will be trained on the use of the Protector Scoring System, Video Replay System, Electronic Socks Application System and on other officiating rules,” he said.

The President noted that there would be different registration fees for both the old and new referees. He explained that at the end of the seminar, exams would be conducted and certificates awarded appropriately to those who were successful.

Golden Eaglets would seek a convincing victory against their Malian counterparts on Sunday to ensure the country’s smooth passage to the African Under-17 championship for the first time in six years.

Nigeria’s last appearance at the Under-17 continental championship was in 2007 when the late coach Yemi Tella guided the Eaglets to victory in Cotonou en route to Korea where they equally emerged world champions.

Coincidentally, current Golden Eaglets’ Head coach, Manu Garba (MFR) assisted Tella in 2007 and has enthused that the country would qualify for Morocco 2013 by ensuring a resounding victory against Mali on Sunday to make the second leg in Bamako in a fortnight mere formality.

“Frankly, I don’t like talking too much ahead of our matches but there are no two ways about this, we have to beat Mali well on Sunday,” Garba said when pressed about his expectations against the Junior Eagles of Mali who reached this stage after a 6-3 aggregate win over Mauritania. “Our objective remains the same, win our matches in convincing style and qualify for the 2013 African Under-17 Championship and we are confident that the boys would deliver the goals following their excellent form in our training sessions,” he noted.

Meanwhile, the Golden Eaglets are leaving no stone unturned as the team perfect strategies for the crucial game with the players sharpening their skills in shooting penalty kicks.

He said: ” We have done well up to this stage and the truth is that we have not failed to score at least three goals in all our past matches and Mali would not be an exemption by the grace of God. We are taking no chance at all and we are ready to score goals through any available opportunity especially through set pieces.”

Meanwhile, the Malians are expected to fly into Calabar today and would have a feel of the pitch at the U.J Esuene Sports Stadium as mandated by Confederation of African Football (CAF).

In a related development, the maximum price for ticket for Sunday’s match is N1, 000 for the state box while the covered stand and popular side are pegged for N500 and N100 respectively.

The Torch of Unity of the 18th National Sports Festival, EKO 2012 will be in Ogun State next week Wednesday.

This was disclosed to SportingLife by the press officer of the State Ministry of Youth and Sports, Rotimi Oduniyi, who revealed that the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun will receive the torch in person at the state secretariat.

“The torch will be received by the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun in an elaborate ceremony at the Governor’s office of the state secretariat, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta beginning at 10am.

“The sport-loving governor will lead a powerful state delegation to the ceremony that includes the Deputy Governor, Price Segun Adesegun, speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt Hon Ishola Adekunbi, Secretary to the State government, Barrister Taiwo Adeoluwa, Sports Commissioner, Mr Gbenga Otenuga, other members of the state executive council, top government functionaries as well as the sports fraternity in the state,” he said.

According to Oduniyi, the Torch will after the ceremony move in a relay like parade to all the major streets in Abeokuta ending at the M.K.O Abiola Stadium, Kuto.

The Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 18th National Sports Festival says it will take states contingent to tourism centres in the Lagos State to show its hospitality.

The LOC’s Secretary-General, Dr Kweku Tandoh, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos. Tandoh said that arrangements had been concluded and vehicles would be on ground for the contingent’s to use to explore and experience the new Lagos State.

“We want our visitors for the sports festival to enjoy a bit of our hospitality and for them to enjoy their stay and have a memorable experience. As part of our hospitality, the contingent from the states will be taken on excursion for them to explore the serenity of the new Lagos,’’ he said.

The LOC scribe said that contractors were working tireless on all the sports facilities for the Games to ensure that everything was in good shape. Tandoh assured Nigerians that all the sub committees of the LOC were also working to ensure that the fiesta was a memorable one.

‘I have the confidence to tell you that Lagos is ready for the Games and the sub-committees are working hard for the festival to be the best ever,’’ the LOC scribe said.

The biennial Games, tagged “Eko 2012’’, is scheduled for Nov. 27 to Dec. 9.

The Nigeria Olympians Association (NOA) has decried the absence of cadre system in the itinerary of the National Sports Festival (NSF), which could be detrimental to the country’s grassroots sports development objective.

NOA president Henry Amike told the News Agency of Nigeria NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos that the NSF of today is much different from what obtained in his days as an athlete. The former national quarter- miler wondered why the cadre system which used to cater to all comers was abandoned.

“During my days the NSF was organised in a much different manner, we had the junior, intermediate and senior categories. But today it’s just one event which is senior, so it makes it difficult to do the catch them young programme. Because most of the people that will be competing are above 16, so what happens to age nine and above? Obviously the one we were doing before was better,’’ Amike said.

Amike, who placed eighth in the 400m hurdles event at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, however, charged the National Sports Commission (NSC) to ensure continuity.

“As far as am concerned continuity is what we lack in this country, we need to sustain genuine grassroots development programmes; and not dwell on paper work. We have had series of seminars, and nothing has changed, we need to begin to look inward to understand how this works. Until we start doing things right we will keep getting same result,’’ Amike said.

The Nigeria Swimming Federation (NSF) has ended a three-day workshop to acquaint officials selected to officiate at the 18th National Sports Festival in Lagos with the sport’s current rules.

The Coordinator of the workshop, Samuel Jesimiel, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos that the course which ended on Thursday was to ensure fair officiating.

“Swimming is a dynamic and universal event, it is prone to changes and therefore there is the need for us to update our personnel with the latest innovations,’’ Jesimiel said.

He said that it was a standing rule in the federation that coaches and active swimmers should not be included in the officiating hence, the need for the training.

According to him, the workshop afforded the participants a veritable opportunity to update their knowledge as many of them had retired from active swimming for years.