Sports

Dare Bags NOC’s Outstanding Youth and Sports Minister Award

Published

3 years ago

May 25, 2023

The Sports and Youth Development Minister Sunday Dare has received an award for his contributions to sports development in Nigeria and the Olympic movement.

The Outstanding Youth and Sports Minister Award was presented to Dare by the Executive Board of the Nigeria Olympic Committee(NOC) led by its President, Engineer Habu Gumel in Abuja on Wednesday.

Gumel highlighted “the numerous and outstanding achievements as the captain of Nigerian sports and Minister of Youth and Sports Development” to include the emergence of the National Sports Industry Policy(NSIP), Adopt initiative, revamping of the Nigeria Professional Football League(NPFL), payment of monthly stipends to the families of departed sports icons as well as providing financial support to ailing former and active athletes.

According to the NOC President, “another remarkable legacy was the delivery of the Headquarters and Secretariat of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa(ANOCA) by the Federal Government of Nigeria which was commissioned by the President of the International Olympic Committee(IOC), Dr Thomas Bach.”

In his response, the Minister attributed the successes he recorded to the support he received from the sports federations because of their direct dealings with the athletes.

Dare said, “I salute the resilience of the sports federations, their sacrifices and work in developing sports in Nigeria deserve commendation. In spite of all the challenges of funding, they still turn up for international competitions thereby giving the athletes the needed exposure and training required to compete at the elite level and you all know that without these athletes, nothing is possible in sports. There will be no achievements.”

The Sports Minister also identified funding as one of the biggest challenges of sports development in Nigeria, a problem, he believes the newly approved National Sports Industry Policy(NSIP) will alleviate.
“The incentives outlined in the Sports as Business Policy have been approved and will be announced soon. The technical committee has put finishing touches to the document and it will become fully operational soon.

“This will drive private sector support for sports and there will be a massive turn around as the funding issues will be confronted headlong.

‘In the last four years, Sports moved from being a third tier ministry to being a first tier one. Apart from this, under the Federal Government’s National Development Plan(NDP), sports will receive N80 billion for the next four years. A plan is in place to make sure a percentage of this fund goes directly to the sports federations.

“Just a few weeks back, the Federal Government approved N2.4 billon for a High Performance Centre to be established inside the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja and before then, there is the Anti Doping Centre to be established in Nsukka, Enugu State.”

He commended the Nigeria Olympic Committee(NOC) for offering scholarships to many Nigerian athletes, ensuring they combine their participation in sports with education.

Speaking earlier at the event, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development, Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar thanked the Minister for his wonderful performance in office, wishing him well in his future endeavours while calling for stronger cooperation with the Olympic family.

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Sports

SWAN President Calls for Gender-Fair Reporting in Sports Journalism

Published

16 hours ago

October 26, 2026

The Gleamer

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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