SPORTS
LSSC Laments Use of Over-Aged Athletes at 2021 National Youth Games
The Chairman, Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC), Sola Aiyepeku, on Tuesday expressed displeasure over the usage of over-aged athletes for the just-concluded National Youth Games (NYG) in Ilorin.
The Team Lagos came second behind Team Delta for the second consecutive time.
Team Lagos had 19 gold, 25 silver and 28 bronze with a total number of 72 medals while Delta emerged winners with 56 gold, 26 silver and 28 gold with overall of 110 medals.
LSSC boss, Aiyepeku, said that the NYG was a tournament designed to discover budding Athletes for the Nation.
“But the U-15 School Sports Championship is now being competed for by adult athletes.
“The organisers of the competition, the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, consciously allowed overaged athletes allegedly brought into the games by some states like Delta, Imo, Edo.
“Many other states from the northern part of Nigeria also brought in overaged athletes to compete with youthful ahletes from other states.
“The games designed by the Nigerian government for U-15 athletes has turned to the games of the overaged ahletes because of the “win at all cost” syndrome being championed by some of the states,” he said.
Aiyepeku noted that during the screening exercise for the games before its commencement, many overaged athletes, who were earlier screened out, were later seen competing when the games started on Friday Oct. 15.
“Unconfirmed report says that a directive from the Ministry of Sports gave a go-ahead to clear most of the athletes who had earlier been screened out.
“Investigations revealed that the age cheat is more pronounced in combat sports such as Taekwondo, Karate, and some other sports like swimming, gymnastics, weightlifting and many others.
“In Karate, a coach informed that an athlete whose age is around 25 years, from Imo state was allegedly allowed to compete with U-15 athletes from states like Ekiti, FCT and Lagos States,” he said.
Aiyepeku added: “In swimming, one of the technical officials was furious when he saw the maturity in some of the swimmers; he disclosed that he could not complain before he was not in the position to talk.
“He alleged that many swimmers from Delta that swept the gold medals of the event could not claim to be under the official age of the tournament.
“The case of gymnastics was so pathetic; young gymnasts were robbed of good points that could have given their states upper hands in winning medals.
“Many of our youngsters in gymnastics who are performing very well in hard floor exercise were rated lower, while some adult athletes, particularly from Delta, who participated in soft floor exercise event were rated with high points.
“I don’t see any justification for this because if this continues, it seems we are not encouraging these young athletes at all,” said one of the coaches from a state in North Central Nigeria,” he said.
The LSSC boss alleged that the game of Darts, which had been in progress, was stopped and restarted.
“The game was restarted after a written paper was presented to the Federation that all athletes who were earlier screened out for being overaged should be allowed to compete.
“In the morning of Saturday, Oct. 16, some female footballers from Delta State, who were suspected to be playing for one of the amateur clubs in the country, were fielded against Team Lagos.
“They were allowed to play the match after being cleared by the organisers.
“Allowing this kind of abnormality by the organiser of the NYG, the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, makes some states to be at a disadvantage,” Aiyepeku claimed.
He equally noted that there were states which still believed in competing clean by abiding to the rules set for the games.
“The abnormality encourages states like Delta and Edo which always poached athletes from other states to have an upper hand because the “end must justify the means”, they want to top the medals table by all means”.
“This abnormality sends a dangerous signal and a bad omen for sports development in a country that must find all legitimate means to replace its aging athletes,” Aiyepeku said. (NAN)
The duo of Mariam Eniola Bolaji and Jeremiah Chigozie have qualified for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games coming up from 28th August to 8th September.
According to the Badminton World Federation, Multiple African Champion, Mariam Bolaji will represent Nigeria in the Women’s Singles Standing Lower 3 (SL3) while Jeremiah Chigozie represents Nigeria in the Men’s Singles Standing Lower 4 (SL4).
An elated Francis Orbih, President of Badminton Federation of Nigeria said the qualification of Mariam Bolaji and Jeremiah Chigozie is a testimony of hard work, consistency and perseverance.
Orbih who was full of joy revealed that Nigeria stands a good chance to make history by winning medals in para badminton in her debut appearance.
He said, “Today, history has been made as two players for the first time will be representing Nigeria in the para badminton event at the Paralympic Games. I am full of joy because the sacrifices of the players and the Federation were not in vain.
“Mariam Bolaji and Jeremiah Chigozie have consistently attended the African Championship winning gold medals in the singles and doubles events. Last month, Mariam Bolaji won two gold medals at the Spanish Internationals in Victoria and Toledo putting her in a better position to make it to the Paralympics; which has become a reality.
“With adequate camping, foreign tours and proper funding, I believe Nigeria will win a medal in the Para Badminton event when we make our debut this year”.
Orbih once again, called on well meaning individuals to support the Badminton Federation of Nigeria in ensuring the athletes get maximum support ahead of the Olympic/Paralympic Games in Paris next August.
He said, “I will not get tired of calling on the Federal Government of Nigeria and the private sector to key into our brand and give more support to the Badminton Federation of Nigeria. We have athletes who are marketable and will sell their brands to the world with their sterling performances”.
Mariam Eniola Bolaji shocked the world by winning her first gold medal at the Spanish Para badminton International 2021 beating Oksana Kozyna from Ukraine.
Bolaji won the women’s singles SL3 at the Uganda Para Badminton International 2023, All African Para Badminton Championship 2023 (Doubles and Mixed Doubles).
She won gold medals at the 5th Fazza Dubai Para Badminton International 2023, Egypt Para Badminton International 2024, World Para Badminton Championship 2024 in Thailand and Spanish Para Badminton International 2024.
Bolaji is also the first African player to be ranked among the top 10 in the BWF world rankings as she is currently ranked number 5 in the world.
Meanwhile, Jeremiah Chigozie won bronze medal at the Uganda Para Badminton International 2023 and three gold medals at African Para Badminton Championship 2023
He played a lesser number of championships compared to Eniola; playing in Egypt, Dubai, and World Championship in Thailand.
Chigozie got to the quarter finals in the men’s singles SL4 category in Thailand and currently ranked number 16 in the recent BWF para Badminton ranking.
President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Nigeria’s table tennis pacesetter, Aruna Quadri, on winning the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Africa Cup title.
Quadri achieved a resounding victory in the final match of the 2024 ITTF Africa Cup in Rwanda, reclaiming his title and sealing his place as Africa’s table tennis champion.
The President commended the table tennis star for his dogged pursuit of excellence even in the face of gnawing obstacles, declaring that the zeal for distinction, the hardiness to succeed, and the inventiveness to solve complex problems are the exceptional qualities that define Nigerians.
The President also noted the recent progress in the nation’s sports sector, with remarkable performances in the African Games, the Africa Cup of Nations, and the World Relay Championships, and emphasized that his administration will continue to foster the growth and development of sports in the country.
The Board of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has appointed Finidi George as Head Coach of the Senior Men National Football Team, the Super Eagles.
A statement by Ademola Olajire, NFF’s Director of Communications, on Monday said the NFF approved the recommendation of its Technical and Development Committee to appoint George.
Reports says that the ace winger spent 20 months as assistant to José Peseiro before the Portuguese voluntarily left the post after guiding the team to silver medal at AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire.
George took charge of the squad in acting capacity during two friendly matches in Morocco last month.
His squad edged Ghana 2-1 in the first match, ending an 18-year winless streak against the Black Stars, but then lost 0-2 to Mali in the second game.
He was a member of the so-styled ‘Golden Generation’ that won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Tunisia.
The team also emerged the second most entertaining team in Nigeria’s debut at the FIFA World Cup finals in USA the same year.
George won 62 caps for Nigeria, including featuring at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cup finals. He also won gold, silver and bronze medals from the 1992, 1994, 2000 and 2002 AFCON tournaments.
The 52-year-old former Ajax Amsterdam (The Netherlands) and Real Betis (Spain) forward made a scoring debut for fatherland in an AFCON qualifying match against Burkina Faso at the National Stadium, Lagos, on July 27, 1991.
He also featured for Calabar Rovers and Sharks FC in the domestic scene before heading to Europe.
He assisted Rashidi Yekini (of blessed memory) to score Nigeria’s first-ever FIFA World Cup goal against Bulgaria in Dallas, USA, on 19th June 1994.
George had actually scored the goal that took Nigeria to that FIFA World Cup debut, when he put Nigeria ahead against hosts Algeria in a crucial qualifier in Algiers on 8th October, 1993.
The match eventually ended 1-1 and earned Nigeria a ticket to the finals in America.
George’s immediate task will be to guide the Super Eagles to victory in two 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against South Africa and Benin Republic in Uyo and Abidjan respectively, in a little over five weeks.
The matches are must-win encounters, with the Super Eagles lagging behind in third place in Group C of the African campaign behind Rwanda and South Africa.(NAN)
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