Sports
Aruna, Ejike To Captain Team Nigeria In Japan
Table tennis sensation Aruna Quadri will lead Team Nigeria to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan, while Lucy Ejike will lead the Paralympics Team.
According to the Director FEAD Dr. Simeon Ebhojiaye, the African Number one who became the first African to reach the quarterfinal round of the table tennis event at the Rio 2016 Olympics in Brazil was selected to lead the athletes during the National Sports Federations meeting held in Abuja.
The 2014 World Table Tennis Player of the Year who is making his third Olympics appearance will be assisted by the captain of the women basketball team Adaora Elonu.
Commonwealth wrestling medallist Odunayo Adekuoroye will be the flag bearer during the opening ceremony, while African record holder in the long jump Ese Brume will bear the flag during the closing ceremony.
Lucy Ejike who will be competing in the Para powerlifting will Captain Team Nigeria to the Paralympics Games.
Meanwhile, the first batch of Team Nigeria contingent is expected to depart the country to Japan on Tuesday, July 6 while the second batch departs July 13, 2021.
For the Paralympic Games, Team Nigeria will depart on August 8, for a 14-day Pre-Games Training Camp (PGTC) in Kisarazu.
Team Nigeria will compete in nine Sports at the Olympics and four Sports in the Paralympics. Weightlifting has been excluded following the failure of its athletes to meet the standard.3-2
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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