The second edition of the Mutual Benefits National Badminton Championship, which was earlier scheduled to hold from November 6 to 10 will now take place from November 13 to 17 at Mutual Benefits/Police Badminton Hall, Police College, Ikeja, Lagos.
According to the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), the postponement became necessary because the earlier date clashed with the West Africa University Games (WAUG), which will take place in Port Harcourt, River State. Most of the top badminton players are expected to feature in WAUG.
Also, all entries must be made online through the BFN website with entries not expected to be submitted later than Wednesday 24th October 2018 as against the earlier date Friday 19th November.
All state head coaches must log on to the BFN websites to enter their players with a link that will be sent to their e-mail addresses, as late entries will not be accepted. Registered players for the event are expected to arrive at the venue on Monday 12th November 2018, while accommodation will be provided for all accredited players.
Honours will be competed for in Men’s Singles (MS), Women’s Singles (WS), Men’s Doubles (MD), Women’s Doubles (WD) and Mixed Doubles (XD) with no player allowed to feature in more than two events. Team managers are expected to converge at the conference room of the venue for a technical meeting on November 6 before the tournament serves off.
A total prize money of N2.67million will be competed for in the 5-day event with the winner of the men’s and women’s singles smiling home with N150, 000 each. Cash prizes will also be spread from the second position to the 16th place finishers.
President of the BFN, Francis Orbih has also urged the players to make use 60 per cent discount offered by God is Good Motors to all accredited players traveling to attend the championship from all their terminals across the country.
In another development the BFN in collaboration with an Anti-doping consultant who is a former CEO of the National Anti-doping Committee (NADC), Femi Ayorinde will be giving a talk on the ills of doping on the opening day.
The final/closing ceremony will come up on Saturday 17th November.