Maurice Green For Ogba Grand Reception…,Amaju, Green, Ige On The Cards

The Organising Committee for the Sunday, July 26 Grand Reception for the Athletics Federation of Nigeria President, Dr (Chief) Solomon Ogba, has announced that the event will be graced by former world 100 metres champion, American Maurice Green.

A statement by the Scribe of the Edo Sports Media Practitioners Forum, Smarts Ebodaghe, also revealed that the NFF President, Amaju Melvin Pinnick is expected at the event, with the powerful NFF Disciplinary Committee Chairman, Barr. Chris Green in tow. Respected Sportscaster of note Taiye Ige, has also been listed for the A-grade event that will hold at the Adna Hotel, 28, Ladipo Bateye Close, GRA, Ikeja.

Solomon Ogba

A member of the Organising Committee and Chairman of the Edo FA, Frank Ilaboya, declared that in the coming days more dignitaries will be unveiled for the event that is expected to kick-start several others in honour of the sons and daughters of old Bendel State now Edo and Delta and Nigerian great sports achievers in general.

Executives of the body have said that the event will assume a wider dimension in the coming days, as plans have reached advanced to also honour sons and daughters of the states and beyond who have made more than a passing contribution to sports development and growth in Nigeria.

Lagos Athletics Relays Championship Beginning s

The maiden Lagos Athletics Relays Championship scheduled for Teslim Balogun Stadium kicks off on Friday April 24 with over N8m at stake at the two-day tournament.

Over 50 schools in Lagos as well as states like Delta, Kwara, Ogun, Ondo including para military clubs like Nigeria Custom Service (NCS) and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) will be part of the competition.

According to the organizers, the championship is one of the series of tournament under the Lagos International Sports Classics, which has hosted and still hosting tournaments in table tennis, badminton, taekwondo, swimming, golf among others.

In all, nine events will be jostled for in the junior and senior categories with the grand finale holding on Saturday April 25 at same venue.

For the chairman, Lagos State Athletics Association, Olatunde Makanju, the competition is aimed at igniting the interest of students in athletes, adding that the maiden edition would provide avenue for the state to be hosting the best legs across the globe.

“From our observation, it has been discovered that athletics is going down in schools and we feel staging this kind of event would help to ignite the interest of the students to embrace the sport. Aside this, we are hoping that the tournament will become a world class event with the best athletes across the world coming to Lagos to compete in the prize-money competition. For us in Lagos, we are always setting the pace and we hope that this maiden edition will be a springboard for the sport to win more disciples and have more young people competing,” Makanju said.

Over 50 secondary schools in Lagos will compete in the junior division with athletes taking part in events like 4x100metre, 4x200m, 100 as well as Swedish relay in 100, 200, 300 and 400m. for their efforts, the top three athletes in each event will go home with N50, 000, N30, 000 and N20, 000 respectively.

In the senior category, states, clubs, tertiary institutions, military, para military organizations and foreign countries will compete in 4×100, 4×200, and 4×400, as well as sprint medley like 100, 200, 400 and 800metres. N120, 000, N80, 000 and N50, 000 respectively will be won by the top three athletes in each event.

Taekwondo Federation organizes national referee’s seminar in Abuja

Velodrome being set up for the National Course

A seven-day National Referee Seminar/Workshop, organized by the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF) commenced at the National Stadium Abuja and is expected to run from June 1 to 7 with the 24 participants drawn from Benue, Kebbi, FCT Abuja, Oyo, Lagos, Imo, Kaduna, Delta, Plateau, FUT Minna, and Nigeria Civil Defence Corps.

During the course, participants will be required to learn and practise with the latest competition rules, learn how to set-up and use the latest technological gadgets for Taekwondo, and also complete a course in competition management techniques. Examinations are held for participants at the end of the course.

NSC High Performance Coach shakes Pioneer Nigerian Grandmaster, Dominic Bassey, at the opening ceremony as NTF President George Ashiru looks on.

The George Ashiru-led Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF) reiterated its commitment to developing all aspects of the game that would give Nigeria an advantage on the global stage.

According to the Federation President, George Ashiru, “The referee plays a vital role in the scheme of things when it comes to winning international medals, and Nigeria simply does not have enough referees on the global stage.”

Highlighting the strategic importance of the on-going exercise, the NTF Boss noted that, “the event is part of the Federation’s vision to get our referees in place by the 2015 All African Games and beyond.”

“The Federation decided at the beginning of the year to organize a series of National Referee workshops throughout the year that would help standardize our local referees and bring them up to speed with the latest technological equipment and competition rules”

Buttressing the stand of the NTF President, the NSC High Performance Coach for Taekwondo, Kim Jin Beom of South Korea, who is a top class World Taekwondo Federation (WTF)-sanctioned referee, emphasized the need for Nigeria’s referees to be brought up-to-date on the latest rules.

“The quality of referees in Africa is generally low, but the countries that have the best and most influential International referees generally come out on top in 50-50 decisions during critical competitive matches. Nigeria must cultivate this advantage year by year.”

Participants take notes during the Theory session on Latest Competition rules.

He further connected the quality of referees to the tactical awareness of the national athletes.

“Most referees are also coaches, or train with coaches in their various localities. It would be impossible for them to teach their athletes how to take advantage of the competition rules, if they themselves are not current”

SOUTH WEST RUGBY UNION LEAGUE WEEK 4 – Nigeria Police RFC sets new South-West League points record

More records are being broken and set at the on-going South-West Rugby Union League season as the Nigeria Police RFC white washed Eco II RFC by 121 points to 0 at the National Stadium, Lagos. The “Men In Black” started the game well as Muyiwa Olawunmi powered through the Eco II defence to score the first try of the game. The Police side further scored 19 tries with Sulaymon oyebola converting 7 times.

The match between Racing RFC and Hawkster Athletics RFC ended 6-3 in favour of Racing after both fly halfs, Ekpo Williams and Steven James traded penalties. Hawkster mounted pressure on Racing towards the end but the lads from Lekki defended well to ensure their victory. Gosar RFC recorded their second win of the season as they beat Royal Stallion RFC from Ilorin 13-3 to move up to fourth on the log while defending champions, Cowrie RFC secured a 31-0 victory against Lagos RFC in the last game of week 4.

Nothing has changed at the top of the table; Cowrie RFC still sits on top with 20 points followed closely by Racing RFC’s 17 points. The bottom two clubs remains Royal Stallions RFC and Eco II RFC.

The South West Rugby Union League will be on hold to resume on the 28th of June, 2014 due to preparations for the AFRICA NATIONS CUP 1C to be held in Garborone, Botswana in which Nigeria’s “Black Stallions” will face Botswana, Morocco, Zambia, Mauritius and Swaziland.

SOUTH WEST RUGBY LEAGUE WEEK 3 REVIEW….

NIGERIA RUGBY FOOTBALL UPDATE

SOUTH WEST LEAGUE WEEK 3 (CLASH OF THE TITANS)

The highlight match of the South West League week 3 games between Cowrie RFC and Police Machine ended in favour of Cowrie RFC by 31 point to 6, the arsenal of the Police Machine was neutralized by Cowriere RFC as they fought viciously to retain their six years 15s unbeaten race in West Africa, in other games, Racing RFC retained a clean sheet by demolishing Eco II RFC by 70 points to 0, Lagos RFC lost to Gosar RFC by 5 point to 12, while Hawkster Athletes won Royal Stallions RFC by 24 points to 13.

Cowrie RFC sits on top of the league table with 15 points, Racing RFC with 13 points is in second place while Eco II is at the bottom of the table with no point.

The South West League continues with its week 4 games on the 17th of May at the Main bowl of the National Stadium.

(GIR) GET INTO RUGBY ENDORSEMENT

The experts to undertake the Get into Rugby programme will arrive into the country tomorrow 5th May 2014, the Get into Rugby programme was initiated by the International Rugby Board in a view to spread the sport to schools and also for grass root development of the sport.

The training progamme will be held at the Media center of the national stadium on the 6th, 7th and 8th of May 2014, already 50 coaches and 35 teachers from eight states (Lagos, Ondo, Edo, Delta, Plateau, Kaduna, Abia and Imo state) have registered to participate in the first phase of the programme.

NATIONAL TRIALS

Following the invitation of the Nigeria National team to participate in the AFRICA CUP 1C 15s tournament in Gaborone, Botswana from 13th – 22nd of June. The Southern trail which was coordinated by the national technical crew led by the technical adviser was held at the main bowl of the National Stadium Surulere in Lagos on the 3rd of May 2014, the trial had over two hundred and fifty players in attendance,. The technical crew will be in Abuja this weekend to conduct the Northern trail.

NIGERIA RUGBY FOOTBALL UPDATE ! SOUTH WEST LEAGUE WEEK 3 (CLASH OF THE TITANS)

NIGERIA RUGBY FOOTBALL UPDATE

SOUTH WEST LEAGUE WEEK 3 (CLASH OF THE TITANS)
As the week 3 of the southwest league set to hold on the 3rd of May 2014 at the main bowl of the national stadium, Cowrie RFC will be taking on Police RFC, the game which will be the highlight game of week 3 games is tagged ‘clash of the titan’, Cowrie RFC with six years unbeaten 15’s game race in West Africa set a record last week in the country (highest scored point in a single match) by winning the Royal Stallion RFC by 97 point to 0 in the second match of the week two games will face the determined Police RFC in the last match of week 3 games, Police RFC once sting Cowrie RFC in the final of the independent 7’s tournament held last year at the onikan stadium.
In other matches of the week 3 games, in the first game, Racing RFC will take on Eco II RFC, Lagos RFC and Gosar RFC will knock heads in the second game while the third game will be between Royal Stallions RFC and Hawster Athletics RFC,

(GIR) GET INTO RUGBY ENDORSEMENT
Following the NRFF endorsement as one of the union to participate in the IRB Get into Rugby programme, The Get into Rugby experts will be in Nigeria to undertake a three day training programme for coaches and teachers, the training will be held at the Media center of the national stadium on the 6th, 7th and 8th of May 2014, already 50 coaches and 35 teachers from eight states (Lagos, Ondo, Edo, Delta, Plateau, Kaduna, Abia and Imo state) have registered to participate in the first phase of the programme.

This endorsement will automatically trigger grass root development of rugby in Nigeria.

“Try their potentials, let them play and motivate them to stay”

NATIONAL TRIALS
Nigeria National team will be competing at the AFRICA CUP 1C 15s tournament to be held in Garborone, Botswana from 13th – 22nd of June. Our opponents includes; Botswana, Morocco, Zambia, Mauritius and Swaziland. However, trials for National Team selection will be held in two regions i.e. North and South, the southern trials will be held at the main bowl of the national stadium surulere on 3rd of May 2014 during the Southwest League Week 3 games while the Northern trials will be held in Abuja on the 10th of May 2014, Players from oversea have been contacted to participate in the trails. The NRFF technical team will only pick players from these trials to participate in the National closed camp in order to prepare for the tournament.

NFF S’South Congress Hails Danagogo, Endorses Maigari…Seeks Credible W’Cup Outing

The South South geo-political zone of the Nigeria Football Federation at the weekend held a meeting in the oil city of Warri, Delta State to re-appraise progress or otherwise made in Nigerian football and came out with a five-point communiqué.

The meeting which was attended by all State Chairmen and Secretaries of the zone was held at the high brow PK Guest House in the GRA Area of Warri. At the end of the meeting, the zone said it was satisfied with the forward movement Nigerian football has recorded so far under the leadership of Alhaji Aminu Maiagari and therefore appealed to the congress of Nigerian football for the continuity of the forward looking and lucky leadership.

The body hailed the appointment of one of their own Dr. Tammy Danagogo, as the Minister of Sports and Chairman, National Sports Commission (NSC), which it said is well deserved and wished him a good outing during his tenure.

The congress also appealed to all South South Governors, which comprises of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Rivers states to provide standard football pitches for the game of football to thrive in the area, going by the abundance of natural talents in the zone.

The congress, while congratulating Barr. Christopher Green for his outstanding representation of the zone in the Executive Committee of the NFF called for the sustenance of the leadership of the NFF ahead of the August 2014 election into the board of the NFF.

Benjamin Akobo, who signed the communiqué, said he was thrilled so far by the success of the present leadership of the NFF and called on the congresses of other geo-political zone to sustain a winning team for the development of Nigerian football.

The congress says it’s also interested in a credible World Cup outing come Brazil 2014 by Nigeria’s Super Eagles and believes that the support of the NFF will see to that.