By Maduabuchi Kalu on July 23, 2016

President of the Nigeria Aquatics Federation (NAF), Babatunde Fatayi Williams, has expressed excitement over the invitation extended to Nigeria by the world aquatics governing body, Fédération Internationale de Notation (FINA) to participate in next month’s summer Olympics to be hosted by Brazil.

Aquatics Sports was not considered by the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) and the Ministry of Sports and Youth Development as none of the sports was considered good enough to be included among the list of events that the country will be taking part in at Rio.

According to Williams, who doubles as the 2^nd Vice President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), the invitation is a welcome development as it will serve as encouragement to swimmers and swimming enthusiasts who had thought that the country’s flag will not be hoisted at the aquatics events in Rio, Brazil.

The former national swimmer turned sports administrator stated this in an exclusive telephone interview with Daily Sports. He explained that the invitation came at the right time as the two swimmers who will be making the Rio Olympics on behalf Nigerian swimmers may be retiring from active swimming by the time the next Olympics will be hosted in four years’ time.

“I am excited to let you know that despite all odds, Nigeria Aquatics Federation will be in Rio for the Summer Games courtesy of Fédération Internationale de Notation,” Williams stated.

“Of course, you are not new to the happenings on in our sports. Aquatics Sports are some of the sports that nobody is paying attention to despite the huge medal potentials inherent in the sports which the country ought to have taken advantage of in brightening its medal prospects in international sporting meets.

“For the records, we are not going for the Games on the bills of the Sports and Youths Development Ministry or the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) rather; we are going to the Games by the invitation extended to us by the world aquatics governing body, FINA.

“The invitation just came about two weeks ago and we have been working hard to ensure that two of our swimmers are in Rio in accordance with the invitation by FINA. Of course our athletes did not qualify for the Games through competitive events but they qualified via what FINA calls ‘universality qualification’.

“There are three categories through which a country can make it to FINA events at the Olympics. We qualified via the last category called universality which is extended to countries that participated in FINA organized world championships in order to encourage such countries in their drive to develop aquatics sports.

“We are grateful to FINA for extending such invitation to two of our swimmers namely, Samson Okpuakpo and Rachael Tonjor. These are two of our elite swimmers who participated in the world championship. One good thing about the invitation is that these are swimmers who have served this country well for many years in various swimming events both nationally and internationally and they may not be there when the next Games would be staged in Russia.

“They are already in camp preparing for the Games and I am happy that they are making it to the Olympics. They are accomplished swimmers as both of them hold different national and personal records.”

•Photo shows Babatunde Fatayi Williams.

Source Daily Sports

Posted July 23, 2016

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