LAGOS – The Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF), said on Friday that taekwondo was omitted from the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland because the host country was not good at it.
NTF President George Ashiru, however, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the omission would not stop the Commonwealth Taekwondo Championships from holding in November in Scotland.
Ashiru said that the championship had already been sanctioned by the Commonwealth Games Federation.
“The host, Scotland, did not feel that they were strong enough in taekwondo, so they did not feature taekwondo at all.
“They didn’t feature judo either and a couple of other sports like that. There have been some switches so that’s why we are not there.
“However, the Commonwealth Games Federation recognises the Commonwealth Taekwondo Championships which is organised with the same sanction, in the same venues, that is, in the same cities. [eap_ad_1]
“But according to the law of the Commonwealth Games Federation, that tournament must be held three months prior to the main games or three months after the main games.
“So, we have picked three months after, in Scotland.
“So we are going to have Commonwealth Taekwondo Championships sanctioned by the Commonwealth Games Federation, but it doesn’t score together with the medals of the main games.
“The main games will be over, you already know the winners and then you can now have your own tournament.
“It will still have the same number of competitors from all over the Commonwealth.“
The president said that athletes that would be representing Nigeria at the post-Commonwealth championship were already in camp training.
He added that the early camping would enable the athlete to come out in flying colours at the competition. (NAN)[eap_ad_4]