Sports
Abuja International Marathon 5km race is open but prizes are for students
Joel Ajayi
Only students from Nigeria secondary schools, either private or government-owned, who are 17 years or below are the only ones eligible for prizes to be awarded to winners of the 5km Student Race in the Abuja International Marathon slated for April 29, 2023.
Speaking to the media in Abuja on Thursday FCT Director of School Sports Adamu Hashimu said the essence of the 5km race is to encourage our youth to embrace road races and marathons,
“Nigerians who are familiar with the performances of our people will remember that when the world record in the marathon was 2 hours: 08 minutes, Nigerians like Abass Mohammed and Yohanna Waziri were running 2 hours 14 hours a very good time that has won about seven editions of the Lagos Marathon. In the FCT Sports Department, we have our own Hulda Nwokocha who once placed 5th in the marathon at the World Universities Games.
“So, we need to start a development program that see our students especially those from the Northern part of Nigeria, who have similar physiological traits with Kenyans and Ethiopians, embrace the culture of marathon and road races at a tender age”
Hashimu also said that before prizes are paid the race organizers, Unicentral Resources Generation Limited and FCTA will confirm the information on the entry form of the winners from their respective schools.
The Abuja International Marathon, the first international marathon in Abuja and FCT will hold on April 29, 2023.
The race is in three categories: the 5km Students Race, the 10km Family Run and the 42.195 km Full Marathon.
The race starts at the City Gate and ends at Eagles Square.
Build-up activities begin on Friday, April 21, 2023, with the Marathon Expo at The Pavilion, beside International Conference Center opposite Radio House.
The Expo opens at 9 am and ends at 6 pm.
Registration which is free is still going on at the Expo venue, the office of Unicentral at Ogun House, CDB Abuja, and the Sports Department of FCT, also intending runners can simply register at abujainternationalmarathon.com.
Sports
SWAN President Calls for Gender-Fair Reporting in Sports Journalism
By Joel Ajayi
The President of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Isaiah Kemje Benjamin, has urged sports journalists to eliminate gender stereotypes and bias in their reports to promote fairness, inclusion and greater visibility for women in sports.
Benjamin made the call on Monday in Abuja while delivering a presentation titled “Gender-Sensitive Journalism: Removing Gender Stereotypes and Bias in Sports Reporting” at the Annual Women in Sports Leadership Training/Seminar for Journalists, organised by the Women Commission of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC).
He said sports journalists play a critical role in shaping public opinion, influencing athletes’ visibility and determining which achievements receive recognition, sponsorship and investment.
According to him, the way the media reports women in sports can either reinforce existing barriers or help dismantle them.
Benjamin explained that gender-sensitive journalism requires fairness, accuracy, equality and inclusion, stressing that it does not mean giving female athletes favourable coverage or shielding them from legitimate criticism.
He identified common forms of bias in sports reporting, including giving men’s competitions greater prominence, focusing on female athletes’ appearance rather than performance, defining women by their marital or family status, and questioning their competence in leadership positions.
The SWAN president urged journalists to adopt respectful language, apply consistent professional standards and extend coverage beyond national teams to domestic leagues, grassroots competitions, female coaches, referees and sports administrators.
Using Nigeria’s sporting landscape as an example, he said the achievements of the Super Falcons deserved sustained analysis beyond match results, including discussions on investment, player development, professional leagues and grassroots structures.
He also noted that digital platforms offered opportunities to expand coverage of women’s sports but warned journalists against sensationalism, online harassment and sexist commentary.
Benjamin proposed seven measures, including gender-sensitive editorial guidelines, regular coverage audits, diversified sources, professional development, stronger grassroots reporting and measurable progress.
He called on SWAN to collaborate with the NOC, sports federations, leagues and clubs to improve access to information and strengthen women’s visibility in sports.
He urged journalists to ensure that athletes are judged by their performances and achievements rather than gender stereotypes.
“Gender-sensitive journalism must be fair, not favourable,” he said, emphasising that responsibility for change rests with reporters, editors, broadcasters, photographers and digital publishers.
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