Sports

Sports Minister To Declare National Athletics Trials Open

Published

4 years ago

June 16, 2021

The Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Akin Dare is set to declare open the National Athletics Trial and Relay Invitational Tournament scheduled to hold in Lagos, Nigeria.

In a press statement issued by the ministry Director Press & Public Relations Mohammed Manga on Wednesday in Abuja revealed that 021 National Championships and Invitational Relays starting on Thursday, June 17

The trials, which will be used to select Nigeria’s contingent to the delayed Games of the XXXII Olympics in Tokyo which is scheduled to hold from July 23 to August 8, 2021, will see 11 events taking place on the opening day.

Already, the atmosphere around the Yabatech Sports Complex is wearing a new look ahead of the opening ceremony and the 2021 National Championships and Invitational Relays which is expected to be declared open by the Minister on Thursday, June 17, 2021.

The trials, which will be used to select Nigeria’s contingent to the delayed Games of the XXXII Olympics in Tokyo which is scheduled to hold from July 23 to August 8, 2021, will see about 10 to 11 events taking place on the opening day.

The National Championships is the flagship event of the AFN where the nation’s top athletes converge to compete for honours and qualifications for major Championships and Games.

Countries that are expected to participate in the Trials are; Cote D’Ivoire, Benin Republic, Senegal, Zambia, Cameroon and Nigeria.

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Sports

No crisis in NAWIS ahead of AFN elections on Monday

Published

16 mins ago

June 8, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Association of Nigerian Women in Sports (NAWIS), known for its orderliness since its establishment in 1990, continues to uphold its standards ahead of the upcoming Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) elections.

With members across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, NAWIS has consistently operated without external interference.

Over the years, its members have been nominated to various boards of national sports federations after meeting established criteria, including the payment of annual dues.

The association has attracted a strong base of respected sportswomen who have served the country with distinction, both during and after their active careers.

In preparation for the AFN elections, zonal elections were conducted on June 2 and 3, producing representatives for the national exercise.

While NAWIS initially planned to hold its election in Zaria, Kaduna State, the association’s headquarters, it was later rescheduled for Abuja on Monday, June 9, following directives from higher authorities.

Importantly, NAWIS has a set of strict guidelines that govern its electoral process, particularly the requirement for timely payment of annual dues. Failure to meet this condition results in automatic disqualification.

This guideline was the basis for the disqualification of Maria Wophil, who has reportedly not paid her annual dues since 2017. Her attempt to hurriedly settle outstanding debts just before the election was deemed non-compliant with NAWIS regulations.

Who is Fatima Yusuf-Olukoju?

Commonwealth gold medallist Fatima Yusuf-Olukoju is one of the leading contenders for the NAWIS representative position in the AFN.

She made history as the first African woman to run the 400m in under 50 seconds and brought glory to Nigeria by winning a silver medal in the 4x400m relay at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics.

Yusuf-Olukoju also claimed gold in the 400m at the 1991 All-Africa Games and silver in the 200m.

Based on nominations and her track record, Yusuf-Olukoju is considered the most qualified candidate. However, three other contenders have also shown interest, and the final decision will be made in the election slated for Monday, June 9, in Abuja.

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