NJF Insists Judokas Must Get Clearance Before Travelling, Won’t Sanction Those Who Went To Ghana

IKPO IGBINOBA 

At last, the four judokas who travelled to Ghana without clearance from the Nigeria Judo Federation can heave a sigh of relief: they won’t be sanctioned by the federation.

The foursome, Charity Jatau, James Temetex, Michael Agbo and Patrick Edwin travelled late last year to Ghana for a championship without the federation’s approval.

The trip triggered a lot of speculations and rumours.

However, the issue was finally laid to rest on Tuesday by the President of the federation, Dr. Musa Oshodi.

While reacting to a question by a journalist during the press conference to herald the Commonwealth Games trials, Oshodi implied that the judokas won’t be sanctioned. 

The journalist sought to know why judokas who had their funds won’t be allowed to attend international engagements without federation clearance.

“Recently some judokas travelled to Ghana without clearance. Their trip was a breach of the rules but they are not likely to be sanctioned”

The President explained that the judokas won’t be sanctioned because the previous board ruined Judo and its administration.

According to him “What we had in the last board was a complete breakdown of law and order leading to the chaos and disarray that turned Nigerian judo into a laughing stock.

On that basis, those who went to Ghana won’t be sanctioned.

“However, henceforth, any Nigerian judoka who is travelling abroad for a championship whether self-sponsored must get the clearance of the federation.

Any judoka who violates this directive will be sanctioned”

Dr. Oshodi said the federation’s clearance was necessary to protect the interest of the athlete, the integrity of the federation and the image of the country.

“When the athletes travel out, the clearance covers them as bona fide Nigerians on a legitimate mission of representing their country.

“With the clearance, if anything happens, the federation can activate diplomatic processes to assist the judokas”.

“As for the country, a clearance protects her image because it will make it impossible for criminal elements to take advantage of an international championship to carry out their nefarious operations” 

“For the federation, the issue of a clearance portrays it as a responsible organisation that knows its onions”