By; SANI ALIYU, Zaria
The 2018 National Taekwondo Trials for selection of national team players has kicked off at the indoor sports hall of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, Kaduna State
The national trials which was expected participants from all the 36 states of the federation and the FCT to participate.
The Chairman, Technical and Development Committee, Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF), Sani Lawal, told new Nigerian Online shortly after a technical meeting, that the competition was to select best taekwondo athletes for national team.
“The federation is here to select those who will compete for the national team for the next one year or so. We are trying to create an avenue where we will every year do a trial.
“In every trial, we will select the best four players and put them in camp immediately to see what will be coming out from the international outings.
“The essence of going into camp immediately after the selection is because we are likely going for the African Championship in Morocco, which is coming up in April.
“There are two championships — the senior championship and the King’s Cup — which we hope to attend, and the reason for attending such competitions is to gather points for qualification into Olympics,’’ he said.
The chairman identified funding, time factor and lack of facilities as major constraints militating against the growth of the game in Nigeria.
He, however, appealed to governments and the private sector to extend more support to further make the game popular amongst Nigerians.
He assured that the selection of athletes would be free and fair, saying it was one of the reasons the trials was slated for one venue.
“I, as the Technical Committee chairman, together with the Technical Director, will sit back to check the activities of the referees as well as the application of the rules to ensure fairness.
“That is why we are using only one cord, so that we can attentively watch the game and eventually come-up with an excellent result for the growth of the game and Nigeria at large,’’ he said.
Lawal said the trials would feature both male and female athletes who would compete favourably according to their gender.
“The federation is here to select those who will compete for the national team for the next one year or so. We are trying to create an avenue where we will every year do a trial.
“In every trial, we will select the best four players and put them in camp immediately to see what will be coming out from the international outings.
“The essence of going into camp immediately after the selection is because we are likely going for the African Championship in Morocco, which is coming up in April.
“There are two championships — the senior championship and the King’s Cup — which we hope to attend, and the reason for attending such competitions is to gather points for qualification into Olympics,’’ he said.
The chairman identified funding, time factor and lack of facilities as major constraints militating against the growth of the game in Nigeria.
He, however, appealed to governments and the private sector to extend more support to further make the game popular amongst Nigerians.
He assured that the selection of athletes would be free and fair, saying it was one of the reasons the trials was slated for one venue.
“I, as the Technical Committee chairman, together with the Technical Director, will sit back to check the activities of the referees as well as the application of the rules to ensure fairness.
“That is why we are using only one cord, so that we can attentively watch the game and eventually come-up with an excellent result for the growth of the game and Nigeria at large,’’ he said.
Lawal said the trials would feature both male and female athletes who would compete favourably according to their gender.
