Sports

Olympics Qualifier: NWF President, Dr Ibrahim Abdul Lauds Weightlifters After Tunisia Medal Haul

Published

3 years ago

May 22, 2023

…Ambassador Charges Lifters To Remain Focused.

The President, Nigeria Weightlifting Federation, NWF, Dr Ibrahim Abdul, FCISM, OCP, CMC; has commended Nigeria weightlifters who won 12 medals at the just concluded 2023 Senior Africa Weightlifting Championship in Tunisia.

Five Nigeria athletes, Lawal Rufiatu, Olarinoye Adijat, Eze Joy Ogbonne, Edidiong Umoafia and Akano Desmond represented Nigeria at the championship which also served as the 2024 Olympic Games qualifier.

They competed in 59kg and 71kg women’s categories as well as 73kg and 89kg men’s categories.

They won a total of 12 medals made up of three gold, seven silver and two bronze medals to put Nigeria’s quest for the 2024 Olympic Games qualification on sound track.

In a release signed by the Media Officer, Nigeria Weightlifting Federation, Mr Amaechi Agbo, the President charged the weightlifters to buckle up ahead of more qualifiers.

“First and foremost, I want to commend the athletes for doing their best, considering the circumstances.

“As the president and someone who aim for the best, I wanted all of them to win gold medals in Tunisia. Nevertheless, I am proud of what they achieved.

“However, I urge them to buckle up. We have just started the race to Olympic Games qualification and there is a long way to go. They should remain active, sustain their training schedules and strictly follow them.

“As a federation, we will continue to provide, within our powers, all that are necessary for them to excel. We cannot afford to miss out on Olympics again after what happened in Tokyo Olympics qualifiers.

“I have no doubts in their abilities and I believe that once they remain focused, we will get there,” he said

Meanwhile, Nigeria ambassador to Tunisia, Amb. Asari Edem Allotey has charged the weightlifters to remain focused in their quest for 2024 Olympics tickets.
Amb. Allotey stated this on Thursday while hosting the Nigeria Weightlifting contingent in her house.

The Ambassador who expressed delight with the performances of the lifters, also cautioned them to make improvements if they must become Olympic medalists in Paris next year.

Nigeria weightlifters are expected to participate in five other weightlifting qualifying championships as they seek a return to Olympic Games medal podium in Paris next year.

The championships/Olympics qualifiers are: IWF Grand Prix Havana, Cuba June 2-12, 2023, IWF World Championships Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -September 2nf to 17th, 2023, IWF Grand Prix Doha, Qatar December 1st -17th, 2023, African Championships February 25 March 02, 2024 (host to be confirmed) and IWF World Cup Phuket, Thailand April, 2024

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Sports

SWAN President Calls for Gender-Fair Reporting in Sports Journalism

Published

10 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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