Sports
Nigeria Weightlifting President, Dr Ibrahim Abdul Congratulates New IWF President
…New President to visit Nigeria
The President, Nigeria Weightlifting Federation, NWF, Dr Ibrahim Abdul have felicitated with the newly elected International Weightlifting Federation, IWF President, Mohammed Jalood.
Mr Jalood who hails from Iraq, on Saturday defeated 8 other contestants to emerge the new president of the global weightlifting body.
In his congratulatory message, NWF President, Dr Ibrahim Abdul, who was among over 180 delegates from across the world that took part in the Electoral Congress, said Mr Jalood’s 40 years wealth of experience both as an athlete and administrator in the game will come handy as the IWF aims to give weightlifting a new dimension.
“On behalf of the good people of Nigeria and the weightlifting family, I want to extend my congratulations to the newly elected President of the International Weightlifting Federation, IWF Mohammed Jalood.
“Mr Jalood’s presidency and four decades of experience in the game will come handy as the new board aims to give the beautiful game a new dimension,” Dr Ibrahim Abdul said in a statement on Monday.
He disclosed that the new president will visit Nigeria soon to help in the development of the sport in the country
“The new president will visit Nigerian to see how we can develop our sport,” he concluded.
President Jalood brings extensive experience within the sport; having been a weightlifting athlete for 13 years, working within the administration for 26 years and spending the last five as IWF General Secretary.
Upon his election he thanked the weightlifting family and out-going Interim President Dr. Michael Irani for all the good work done together.
In his first official speech, Mr Jalood said “Today (June 25), we have taken the first step in building a stronger organization, one that is more resilient and more ambitious. Today, is a bright day for our sport and I look forward to doing many more good things for our organization together with the entire weightlifting family!”
The 2022 IWF was held in Tiara Albania from 25 to 26 June.
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.
-
Featured6 years agoLampard Names New Chelsea Manager
-
Featured5 years agoFG To Extends Lockdown In FCT, Lagos Ogun states For 7days
-
Featured6 years agoChildren Custody: Court Adjourns Mike Ezuruonye, Wife’s Case To April 7
-
Featured6 years agoNYSC Dismisses Report Of DG’s Plan To Islamize Benue Orientation Camp
-
Featured4 years agoTransfer Saga: How Mikel Obi Refused to compensate me After I Linked Him Worth $4m Deal In Kuwait SC – Okafor
-
Sports3 years ago
TINUBU LAMBAST DELE MOMODU
-
News9 months agoZulu to Super Eagles B team, President Tinubu is happy with you
-
Featured6 years ago
Board urges FG to establish one-stop rehabilitation centres in 6 geopolitical zones
