The Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development – Barr Solomon Dalung has assured that Nigeria has all it takes to host the 2018 Africa World Wrestling Championship and 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.
This assurance was given yesterday by the Minister 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 – Hon. Daniel Igali and some board members of the federation.
Dalung also solicited for the support of Meskout for the grant of hosting right to Nigeria.
Earlier on, the UWW Africa’s President has 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 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.
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.
leadership.