Sports
Association Chargess HFN On League’s Revival
The Lagos State Handball Association (LSHA), has appealed to the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN) to revive the defunct national handball league.
The association’s chief coach, Anthony Idolor, told Tidesports that the sport would need the restoration of the defunct competition to revive its dwindling fortunes.
He added that the league used to be a viable promotional tool for the sport, which helped to keep the country’s players in shape for international competitions.
“The handball league was a competition which players and coaches looked up to in the past and it helped to reform the game across the country.
“I appeal to handball federation to help look into this and revive the league for handball to reclaim its rightful place in the country’s sports circuit,’’ he said.
Idolor urged the HFN to adopt measures that would entice potential sponsors to bank roll its programmes to help the body to reposition the sport.
He cited the country’s basketball league as an example of what the handball league should have been if the necessary steps had been taken by the authorities.
“We are set to organise more competitions but the federation’s competition, will serve as a yardstick to measure our overall performance,’’Idolor said.
Vice president of the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC), Chief Solomon Ogba, foremost Sports Marketer and founder of Okpekpe Road Race, Mike Itemuagbor and top Sports Journalist and Media Strategist, Mitchel Obi have lent their voices in support of the Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF).
The personalities with backgrounds in sports administration, marketing and media spoke separately in commendation of the festival, an initiative of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) with Dunamis Icon as consultants.
“This is a positive addition to the evolving sports business ecosystem because it is not just a springboard for identifying talents, it also offers a platform to truly hone the skills of those already discovered”, remarked Obi, who served as Special Advisor to a former Sports Minister, late Anthony Ikhazabor.
He said the festival will be a flagship event in the region that would trigger interest in sports among the youths and people of the region.
Edo State-born Itemuagbor commended the NDDC for the decision to add sports in the list of their intervention projects in the region, adding that: “This speaks directly to the problem of youth restiveness which is of great concern to our people.”
Raphael Onyedika has now emerged as a major doubt for the Super Eagles’ must-win 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe later this month.
The midfielder was forced out early from last week’s league game against Standard Liege.
He has not recovered from the injury and so will miss today’s league match against Gent and may also miss a UEFA Champions League Round of 16 clash against Aston Villa yesterday.
The Super Eagles take on Rwanda in Kigali on March 21, before they face Zimbabwe in Uyo four days later in crucial World Cup qualifiers.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Al-Khalood defender, William Troost-Ekong, has shared his experience on the difficulties of winning the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) while describing it a must win trophy.
The former Watford FC defender has competed in the tournament three times but has yet to lift the trophy.
“I’ve been there three times now, bronze medal, silver medal, but I haven’t had the chance to win it. That remains my ultimate goal,” he told Tidesports source.
“It means so much to me and all the kids growing up in Africa and Nigeria.”