Sports

Hockey Africa Cup of Nations: 60 Players Storm camp in Abuja

Published

5 years ago

December 14, 2021

Joel Ajayi
No fewer than 60 players are currently in camp and expected to undergo screening ahead of the Hockey Africa Cup of Nations scheduled for Accra, Ghana in January 2022.

The Secretary General of the Nigeria Hockey Federation (NHF) Rita Mosindi on Tuesday said that the players arrived camp in Abuja on Monday.

Mosindi explained that the screening camp was meant to select the best 36 players who would undergo intense training and preparations for the tournament in Ghana.

“A total of 60 players, comprising of 30 males and 30 females, including six coaches have arrived camp in Abuja on Monday ahead of the 2022 Hockey Africa Cup of Nations.

“The players were selected through a rigorous process based on their performances at the National Sports Festival, the Hockey Super League, League One as well as the Africa Cup for Club championships (ACCC).

“The one-month screening camp which begins on Tuesday (today) is expected to end on Jan. 12, 2022.

“At the end of the camp, only 36 players; comprising 18 males and 18 females will be selected to represent Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations in Accra, Ghana,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Delta Queens won silver at the ACCC in Accra, Ghana, while Kada Stars took bronze, repeating their 2019 feat.

The 2022 Men’s Hockey Africa Cup of Nations will be the 11th edition of the Men’s Hockey Africa Cup of Nations, the quadrennial international men’s field hockey championship of Africa organised by the African Hockey Federation.

In February 2021, it was announced that the tournament would be held alongside the women’s tournament which will be its eighth edition at the Theodosia Okoh Hockey Stadium in Accra, Ghana from Jan. 17 to Jan. 23, 2022.

The first edition hosted by Egypt in 1974 saw Ghana emerge as inaugural champions, which remains their only title till date.
Egypt won the next two editions in 1983 and 1989 respectively.

South Africa are the seven-time defending Champions of both the men and women events, winning the previous six editions consecutively, including the last held in 2017 at the Suez Canal Authority Hockey Stadium in Egypt.

NAN also reports that Nigeria’s female team won bronze at the 2017 edition in Egypt.

No fewer than nine African countries are taking part in the 2021 edition of both the male and female events in Ghana.
They include: Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe and defending champions, South Africa.

The tournament which is a Commonwealth Games qualifying event will see the winner of the women’s event also qualify for the 2022 Women’s FIH Hockey World Cup, while the winner of the men’s event will qualify for the 2023 Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup.

NAN

Share on Facebook

Sports

SWAN President Calls for Gender-Fair Reporting in Sports Journalism

Published

21 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.

Share on Facebook