Sports

NCF President Meets Kenya Cricket Authorities On Strategic Alliance With Nigeria

Published

3 years ago

October 1, 2023

Joel Ajayi

The President of the Nigeria Cricket Federation Mr. Uyi Akpata on a personal visit to Kenya last week, took time and seized the opportunity to meet with the Chairman of Cricket Kenya, Manoj Patel, and some members of the board and management team.

According to the NCF President, “It was quite an experience, seeing firsthand, Kenya’s strong infrastructure platform. The meeting provided us with an opportunity to see how Cricket Kenya can collaborate with the Nigeria Cricket Federation to make Cricket more prominent in the region”.

In line with one of the N.C.F Board’s 3rd strategic pillars for development which hinges on ‘Establishing strategic partnerships with national and international bodies’, Kenya has a rich history in Africa and World Cricket and such collaborations will definitely help the growth and development of the game in Nigeria and Africa by extension.

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Sports

SWAN President Calls for Gender-Fair Reporting in Sports Journalism

Published

2 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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