Sports
Rwanda Now First Africa Country to host 2025 road world championship
The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) on Friday gave Rwanda the right to host the 2025 road world championship.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 190th Congress held in Flanders, Belgium, the world Cycling decided to give Africa the privilege to host the world championship.
NAN reports that this is the first time an African country has been given the chance to host road world championship, this going to Kigali, Rwanda.
Giandomenico Massari, the chairman, caretaker of committee of Nigeria Cycling Federation, congratulated the Rwanda Cycling Federation for getting the opportunity to host 2025 UCI world championship in Rwanda.
Massari said a new era had come for Africa to host world championships in cycling.
“This will be the first time for Africa to host this world event I congratulate Rwanda Cycling Federation for this great opportunity,” he said.
He added: “We continue to work tediously to make sure one day Nigeria will also have the opportunity and the right to host a world Cycling Championship.
“We have cyclists that can represent the country in International and world championships that will make the country capable of winning medals.
“Nigeria can be the next Africa country to host the world championship,” he said.
NAN report that in 2018, UCI called on all 50 National Federations of the African Cycling Confederation to submit bids for the 2025 edition, claiming it would help to “consolidate the growth” of the sport in the continent.
The 2022 Road World Championships are scheduled to be held in Wollongong, Australia, with Scottish city, Glasgow, and Zurich in Switzerland due to play host in 2023 and 2024 respectively.
(NAN)
Sports
FCT FA Board Member Urges Grassroots Reform, Hopeful For Super Eagles World Cup Qualification
Legal Practitioner And Administrator Barr Bucknor Threatens To Petition FCT Minister Over Abandoned Stadiums
Despite Nigeria’s precarious position in the race for a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Barrister Babatunde Burknor, a board member of the FCT Football Association (FA), remains hopeful that the Super Eagles can still secure qualification.
Nigeria currently sits third in their qualification group with 11 points from 8 matches, trailing Benin Republic and South Africa, who both lead with 14 points. Yet Burknor, a seasoned football administrator and grassroots sports advocate, believes all is not lost.
In a recent interview made available to BSN Sports, Burknor said: “Nigeria’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup may appear almost impossible, but that doesn’t mean it is out of reach. The situation is tough, yes, but looking at the quality of players in our squad, I still believe we can make it.”
He added that unexpected results from other group rivals could work in Nigeria’s favour.
“Football is unpredictable. There is still a chance that South Africa, Benin Republic, or Rwanda could drop points. If we win our remaining two games, we still stand a chance. Sometimes football reflects life where the strong may fall while the seemingly weak stand tall.”
Calls for Grassroots Reform in the FCT
Beyond national team concerns, Burknor also used the opportunity to address the state of sports development in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), urging the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to take concrete action to revamp local infrastructure.
“We have deep-rooted problems when it comes to grassroots sports. The major issue is a lack of funding and commitment from those charged with driving development at that level,” he said.
Burknor lamented the disappearance of once-thriving youth competitions like the Chairman’s Cup, Principal’s Cup, and Shell Cup, stating that such events played a crucial role in identifying and nurturing young talent.
“It’s disheartening that these programs are no longer active. Development is impossible without facilities, yet we lack even basic training grounds.”
The legal luminary revealed that he personally upgraded the sports facility at a government secondary school in his area to serve as a makeshift training centre, due to the absence of a functioning local stadium.
He is currently drafting a petition to Minister Wike, over abandoned stadiums in FCT, urging a comprehensive audit of officials responsible for sports development across the six Area Councils of the FCT.
Progress in Gwagwalada Football Development
As Vice Chairman of the Gwagwalada Football Council, Burknor highlighted the success of the Gwagwalada Football League, which has become a model for other Area Councils.
“In just two years, we’ve turned the Gwagwalada Football League into a success story. Several players from the league have already secured contracts in Europe. This shows what can be achieved with vision and consistency.”
Barrister Burknor, emphasized that grassroots football holds the key to Nigeria’s long-term football success and must be taken seriously.
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