By Ayo Bada / Lagos
A passionate call has been made to the Minister of Sports and Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bolaji Abdullahi to reinstate Judo as one of the participating sports in the forthcoming National Youth Sports Festival (NYSF) billed for Abuja between December 5 and 15.
Making the call in Lagos during the week was the Director, North Central zone of the Nigeria Judo Federation (NJF), Suleiman Damisa.
Damisa, who is also the Chairman of the NJF Finance Committee, said such inclusion will help to boost the morale of the athletes and coaches as well as help in the development of the sport in the country in general.
"Judo unlike in the past is now bouncing back and the only we can continue to make the athletes and coaches to be relevant is for us to take part in all available competitions such as the forthcoming NYSF.
"Since the inauguration of the new board of the federation, we've been doing our best to ensure that we contribute and develop the game both locally and international.
"This year alone, we've successfully staged a competition in Oyo State tagged "Oluyole 2013" and we also took part in an international competition in Cotonou, Benin Republic, where we came out top and participating in the forthcoming NYSF in Abuja will also give the athletes and coaches some sense of belonging and zeal to do the nation proud in international competitions," he said.
He therefore urged both the Director General of the NSC, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye and the Hon. Sports Minister, Bolaji Abdullahi to reinstate Judo in the sporting events for the festival.
"We are appealing to the Hon. Minister of Sports and the Director General of the NSC to please include Judo in the sports for the festival in order to make the athletes and coaches happy after they've been preparing for the festival for long.
"Despite this, we appreciate the support of the NSC to the present board since we assumed office and we want to promise that we will not disappoint the country if given a chance to participate in any major international competition,: he said.
According to him, the country's Judokas have always been impressive in major international competitions including All Africa Games, Olympics and Commonwealth Games.
It will be recalled that the NSC had picked only 14 sports for the festival which include boxing, badminton, handball, squash, taekwondo, track and field, weightlifting, basketball, football, para-powerlifting, table tennis, tennis, volleyball and wrestling.
Meanwhile, the NSC has restated that there will be no medals for winning athletes during the festival rather, all the participating athletes would be given certificate of participation.
"This is to discourage the winning at all cost syndrome among our athletes and officials. All we want to achieve through the festival is to tap them young and discover new, young and hidden talents that will do us proud in future international competitions," said the Sports Minister.
Over 4, 520 athletes (both boys and girls are expected to participate in the forthcoming youth festival.
