Over 150 athletes from 13 countries are set to compete in various categories at the maiden Abia Para Badminton International and the All-Africa Para Badminton Championships.
The Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development, Mr Nwaobilor Ananaba, announced this at a press conference in Umuahia.
Mr Ananaba, represented by Special Assistant to the Abia Governor on Sports, Mr Raymond Ukwa, confirmed the state’s readiness to host the two events, which will take place back-to-back.
He said the first event would run from 30 September to 5 October, while the All-Africa Para Badminton Championship would begin on 6 October and end on 12 October.
The Sports Commissioner explained that the state had spent several months preparing to host the two landmark tournaments at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia.
“How are we prepared as a state? In Abia today, we have the best playing mats, especially the wheelchair playing mats, the first of its kind in West Africa, so to say.
“When you’re able to go around, you’ll see the hall and the preparation that has been made to ensure that people have an equitable playing field, and of course that is also world-class,” he said.
Recall that Abia previously hosted the 5th National Para Badminton Championship between 14 and 17 July at the same venue.
Also speaking, a member of the Local Organising Committee and National Coordinator of the Para Badminton Association of Nigeria, Mr Samuel Ekeoma, said athletes would compete in six categories for both men and women.
Ekeoma, who is also the Second Vice President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), named Brazil, Peru, Egypt, Tunisia, Rwanda, Cameroon, and Zimbabwe among the participating countries.
In his remarks, the President of BFN, Francis Orbih, commended the Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, for his commitment and investment in ensuring the successful hosting of the historic events.
Orbih revealed that in addition to the two tournaments, the state was also hosting a Para Badminton workshop for coaches and players from across Africa.
He said participants would be assessed, and those who passed would be issued certificates at the end of the training.
“So it’s a very major development for us as a country because what it means is that after this we are going to have more competent and well-equipped coaches for Para Badminton,” Orbih said.
Also, Mr Jeff Shigoli, Chief Executive Officer of the Badminton Confederation of Africa (BCA), expressed satisfaction with the level of preparation by the state government.
He noted that Nigeria was becoming the third African nation to host para badminton activities, after Uganda and Egypt.
Shigoli also thanked the Badminton World Federation (BWF) for its strong support in ensuring the tournaments’ success.
“We have members of the classifier team from the BWF that have been sent specifically to ensure players have been classified to be able to compete for these championships,” he said.
A BWF classifier, Dr Ahmed Reda, noted that Nigeria had over 40 players undergoing classification as hosts.
“These players are qualified and are able to participate in these two events, and going forward, they will be able to participate in any international event anywhere in the world,” he said.
