Sports

Nigeria Teqball Federation Coaches, Referees Training Declared Open

Published

6 years ago

April 10, 2021

The Vice President, Nigeria Teqball Federation, NIGTEQ, Dr. Ibrahim Abdul, Saturday declared open the capacity training for coaches and referees in Abuja.

Declaring the training open, Dr Abdul advised the selected coaches and referees to take the training seriously.

On his part, the General Secretary of the federation, Mr Ndudi Edede said that the training which is first of many to come by the federation with a view to training and building capacity for the federation, noted that at the end of the training, coaches and referees will be accessed and certificate issued to them based on their performance.

Mr Edede added that the capacity training is geared towards training the trainers noting that subsequent trainings will be organised within the year.

Team leader of the International Federation of Teqball, FITEQ, Mr Fordos Soma expressed joy over the enthusiasm shown by the trainees for the programme.

“We are happy to see you guys here and happy to be in Nigeria. We are here to share ideas and learn. Nigeria is among the countries with huge potentials for Teqball and I can see that right here we have capable hands who are managing the sport.

“For you to organise this training at a relatively short notice shows the managerial capacity you have here and I believe with the zeal and commitment shown, Nigeri will be a force in global Teqball.

The four-day capacity training Workshop will end on Tuesday, April 13, 2021.

What Is Teqball?

Teqball is a ball sport that is played on a curved table, combining elements of football and table tennis . Back and forth, the players hit a football with any part of the body except arms and hands.

Teqball can be played between two friends as a singles game, or between four friends as a doubles game.

The game is represented at an international level by the
International Federation of Teqball (FITEQ). A number of world-class footballers have been attracted by the game, and after being added to the programmes for the 2021 Asian Beach Games and the African Beach Games , the sport is now aiming for Olympic inclusion.

Teqball became the world’s fastest recognised sport in August 2018 when FITEQ was officially recognised by the Olympic Committee of Asia (OCA) and in June 2019 it was officially recognised by the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA).

In November 2020, the highest governing body of International Federation of Teqball (FITEQ) was granted full membership of the Global Association of International Sports Federations ( GAISF).

Teqball was first introduced in Nigeria by the Hungarian Embassy in 2018 but gained official recognition on January 2021 when the National Olympic Committee, NOC granted approval for the establishment of Nigeria Teqball Federation, NIGTEQ

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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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