The President of Nigeria Volleyball Federation, Musa Nimrod is optimistic the country’s beach volleyball women’s team will qualify for next year’s Tokyo Olympics.
Nimrod admits the COVID-19 will play a vital role whenever the Confederation of Africa Volleyball decides to choose host for the final round.
He assured that the country will not have a repeat of what happened four years ago where Egypt clinched the sole beach volleyball ticket in Nigeria.
Nimrod said, “Nigeria intends to host the final round of the Tokyo 2021 Beach Volleyball women’s Olympic qualifiers and we do not want to miss the Olympic Games this time around like what happened four years ago.
“The nation failed to qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympics in Abuja where Egypt got the ticket in front of our home fans”.
He added that “The Federation is indicating interest to host the final round of the women’s qualification in the country but we hope not to commit silly mistakes for the second time on home soil.
“The men’s beach volleyball team should have played their own qualifiers in Mozambique last March but our players are still keeping fit during the COVID-19 lockdown because we told them to stay fit”. Immediately sporting activities resumes, the men’s team will be on their way to Mozambique for the second round of the Beach Volleyball Qualifiers”.
Commenting on the possibility of sporting activities resuming soon, the administrator said the decision making process is entirely up to the Federal Government and the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has given directives.
“Players, coaches and referees are eager to return to the court but as law abiding citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we must await directives from the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 and the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.
“Immediately the embargo on sports is lifted the League Organising Committee of the Nigeria Volleyball Premier League will meet to deliberate when the league will resume”.
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