IG boosts badminton team ahead of Uganda Tourney

Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, visited and trained with Nigeria badminton players who were preparing for the 9th edition of the Uganda International Badminton Tournament scheduled to take place between February 20 and 23 in Lugogo Indoor Stadium, Uganda.
The police chief, who is a former national badminton player as well as an ex-board member of Nigeria Football Association (NFA), promised to continue to support the players so that they could gain enough points that would qualify them for the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.
“If we engage the youths especially through sports, we have done one great thing, which is taking them away from the streets and it is a very good factor in creating better leaders of tomorrow,” Abubakar noted.
In a related development, the Abuja Badminton Club (ABC) has donated a set of jersey and badminton equipment to the national team ahead of the Ugandan tournament.
The chairman of the club, Abubakar Isa, said it was their way of supporting the Nigeria Badminton Federation (NBF).
“We are trying to promote badminton in Nigeria and we feel we should start with the national team.” Isa added.
President of NBF, Justice Danlami Senchi, who was on hand to receive the donations, thanked the donors especially the IG for helping to promote badminton in the country and assured that Nigeria would qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games.
“We want to thank the inspector general of police as well as the Abuja Badminton Club for their support. We hope we’ll also get the support of the sports ministry. Our aim is to gain enough points that will help our players qualify for the Olympics.” Senchi concluded.
A national badminton captain, Olaoluwa Fagbemi, said the team hoped to win at least four gold medals in Uganda.
Organisers said 16 teams have confirmed participation in the championship that will see 64 players taking part in different categories.
Uganda (host), Nigeria, Namibia, Libya, Egypt, Algeria, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Kenya and Mauritius are from Africa, while Austria, Malaysia, Slovakia, Israel, and Syrilanka are among the international countries to feature in competition.