Home FEATURES Nigeria Is Ready To Host World Wrestling Tournament – Sports Minister

Nigeria Is Ready To Host World Wrestling Tournament – Sports Minister

Sports Minister, Barrister Solomon Dalung
Sports Minister, Barrister Solomon Dalung

Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung has given assurance to the international sporting community that Nigeria is ready to host the 2018 Africa World Wrestling Championship if given a chance.

The minister pledged Federal government’s support for the establishment of a wresting training Centre  where wrestling athletes will be trained to enhance better performance; thereby enhancing the prospect of uplifting wrestling to a surer medal winning sport for our country.

Dalung spoke in his office  when the President of the United World Wrestling Africa, Fouad Meskout (UWW AFRICA) paid him a courtesy as part of activities to round up inspection of facilities and hotels in Nigeria. The UWW Africa  boss was accompanied by the President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Daniel Igali and some board members of the federation.

Dalung also solicited the support of Meskout  for the grant of hosting right to Nigeria.

Earlier, the UWW Africa’s President had told the Minister that the facilities and hotels he inspected in Port Harcourt are satisfactory while he found the people enthusiastic and hospitable. He said that Nigeria stands a better chance of hosting the championship because it has never hosted before; whereas Tunisia which is also bidding has hosted a number of times.

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The Wresting Boss intimated the Minister of the pledge by the Government of Rivers State to make land available for the proposed Wrestling Training Centre and solicited for the assistance of the Federal  Government to accomplish the project.

President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation Hon Daniel Igali explained that the Federation seeks to host in order to upgrade its facilities and provide further opportunity for a lot of talents out there that are abundant in the country.

Igali also confirmed that there are adequate  facilities for the hosting of the 2018 event in Port Harcourt. According to him, six national teams which comprise the senior, junior and cadets will represent the country in the championship while talents discovered will be groomed and nurtured towards the next Olympic games. [myad]