There is growing disquiet within junior officials of some sports federations in Nigeria over the continuous engagements of senior officials handling crucial positions, aclsports.com learnt.
Top ranking officials in some Federations disclosed to www.aclsports.com on conditions of anonymity that senior umpires and coaches have overstayed their welcome.
An official of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) said few senior officials who have been umpires since the 80s and are still at the helm of affairs after the Sports Minister, Barrister Solomon Dalung had reorganised most of the Federations.
He claimed that despite the junior officials attending national and international courses, they are still rendered redundant by the said officials.
“I’m not against the senior officials but they must give us (the junior) officials chances to practice what we have learnt theoretically. I can’t imagine after some of us spend our personal funds to acquire knowledge, we are still looked at as rookies”, he said.
Another official in the Nigeria Judo Federation (NJF) claimed than an individual during the first tenure of Prince Timothy Nsirim was the head coach of the male and female senior teams including the junior and cadet.
The official noted that despite having qualified coaches, they were sidelined.
“During the first tenure of Nsirim, other coaches were not called to camp with their athletes. But we thank God today that the story is changing. We have more certified coaches and referees in the NJF. The technical department can now boast of having more capable hands”.
Meanwhile, most officials of the Nigeria Weightlifting Federation (NWF) have expressed great pleasure on how the Yahaya Mohammed led board has cut the powers of some coaches, one official said.
She revealed that before the coming of Mohammed, select individuals turned themselves into lords; sidelining other officials from officiating at National Championships and accompanying athletes to international tournaments.
“I’m happy that the powers of some individuals are already reduced. Even if Mohammed does not do anything, he has broken the monopoly of officiating in weightlifting”, she said
