The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Bukola Olopade, has said Nigeria’s impressive victory at the IHF Trophy Zone 3 tournament in Lomé, Togo, had boosted confidence in the country’s male athletes.
Olopade made this known on Monday while receiving the victorious U-18 and U-20 handball teams at his office in Abuja.
He praised the teams’ performance, describing it as a strong indication that handball is a progressive sport that deserves increased support from both the private sector and the Sports Commission.
“Your performance in Togo has shown that handball is a progressive sport that deserves all the support from both the private sector and the Sports Commission,” he said.
The NSC boss noted that, at a time when Nigeria’s female athletes have consistently delivered international success, it is refreshing to see the male teams achieving similar feats on the global stage.
Olopade also revealed that he closely followed handball events at the recent National Sports Festival in Ogun State and expressed confidence in Nigeria’s ability to challenge the dominance of North African countries in the sport.
“I took time to watch some exciting handball matches at the last National Sports Festival in Ogun State, and I strongly believe that with the right support, we have what it takes to break the dominance of the North Africans,” he added.
He further commended the leadership of the Handball Federation of Nigeria, led by its president, Jibril Saidu, for their dedication, while assuring the federation of full support ahead of the continental championship. Saidu, in his remarks, appreciated the NSC’s backing and reaffirmed the federation’s determination to win the forthcoming tournament.
