ITTF African Junior Championship: Players beg Dalung to resolve funding issue

Nigerian representatives for the ITTF African Junior Championships have appealed to sports minister, Solomon Dalung, to intervene in the issue of funding for the games.

The tournament is holding in Tunis, Tunisia, from April 9 to 15 but the players are uncertain over their attendance as funding and logistics are yet to be settled.

But Nneka Anibeze, SA media to the minister of youth and sports, told TheCable that Dalung had approved funds for the players to go for the tournament.

Hauwa Kulu Akinyemi, director of finance, Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), was unreachable when TheCable called her to ascertain why the “approved” funds had not yet been released.

The players are expected to depart for Tunisia today.

But if they are unable to make the trip, their dream of participating in the World Junior Championships and 2018 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) will never materialise.

The AFJ also serves as qualifiers for the WJC and YOG.

The players representing Nigeria have for weeks been preparing at the National Stadium in Lagos.

Meanwhile, former national junior champion, Olajide Omotayo has advised the players to make use of the opportunity to prove themselves.

“My advice to the players is that they should play what they have practiced in training and they should not copy what they see at the competition venue.”

“They should also play without fear, listen to what the coaches tell them to do and take time to study their various opponents.

“But the most important is staying focus whenever they are in the court and I wish them the best of luck,” Omotayo said.