Sports
CNS Swimming Championship Ready to Make Waves with Support from NSC, Delta Government
Joel Ajayi
Delta State, Nigeria – July 8, 2025 — Final preparations are underway for the highly anticipated Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Swimming Championship, set to begin in Delta State. As excitement builds across the country, the Nigerian Navy and the Delta State Government have thrown their full support behind what is expected to be a landmark event in the nation’s sporting calendar.
The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) has demonstrated strong commitment to the event by mobilizing relevant departments within the Nigerian Navy to collaborate closely with the Nigeria Aquatics Federation.
“We are most excited that the CNS himself has thrown his weight around this event and has deployed the relevant department within the Navy structure to work with the federation to ensure its success,” said Taiwo Oriss, Secretary General of the Nigeria Aquatics Federation
The National Sports Commission NSC, and host Delta State, is also making strong moves to support the event. “Even the National Sports Commission and host Delta State Government is rallying around the federation at the dying minute—at the 11th hour, I must say—to ensure the success,” Oriss added.
With such unprecedented institutional backing, expectations are high that this year’s championship will set a new standard. “We are about to witness an event bigger than anything we have seen before,” he emphasized.
The Nigeria Aquatics Federation is urging Delta State residents and sports enthusiasts across the country to come out in large numbers and support the athletes. “We look forward to having the good people of Delta State around to cheer our champions to victory,” Oriss stated.
Swimming is experiencing a surge in popularity across Nigeria. At the last National Sports Festival in Abeokuta, the sport drew the highest attendance of all events, underscoring a shifting national interest. “Swimming emphatically had the highest followership at the last National Sports Festival. It shows that Nigerians are beginning to put swimming first,” Oriss noted.
This mirrors international trends, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recently reporting that swimming recorded some of the highest global figures in viewership, ticket sales, and sponsorship during the last Olympic Games.
Competition Schedule and Opening Ceremony
Teams are expected to arrive on Sunday, July 13, 2025, with practice sessions scheduled to begin on Monday, July 14, 2025. Each team will be allotted one hour in the pool for training and acclimatization, divided between morning and afternoon sessions.
“All the teams are going to be scheduled to come into the pool for practice as planned—some in the morning, others in the afternoon. Each team gets about one hour in the water,” said Oriss.
The main competition officially kicks off on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, with the opening ceremony scheduled for 3 p.m., coinciding with the arrival of key dignitaries and special guests.
Participation and Team Registration
The championship is drawing participation from across the country, including state teams, clubs, schools, and military and paramilitary institutions. While late registration is common, 13 teams and clubs have already fully registered.
“Although most of our teams do last-minute registration, we already have 13 confirmed,” a federation official confirmed.
High Expectations and National Pride
With the support of the Nigerian Navy and Delta State Government, coupled with increasing national interest in the sport, the federation is confident this championship will be a defining moment in Nigerian swimming history.
“We have no doubt that this is one among the rest. We are confident it will stand out,” said Oriss. “We urge Nigerians to come out in full to witness history, cheer on our swimmers, and show unwavering support for the sport.”
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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