The Nigeria Taekwondo Federation claims a lack of funds is hindering its preparations for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games ©NTF

The Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF) has claimed a lack of funds is hindering its preparations for Rio 2016.

Margaret Binga, vice-president of the NTF, said it had prevented Nigerian taekwondo players from accumulating qualification points for next year’s Olympic Games and has urged the Federal Government to come to the aid of the NTF.

"Our constraint mostly for Nigeria is funds," she told News Agency of Nigeria.

"[The] Government is trying, but I will appeal for it try harder because Olympics is not a child’s play; other countries have started preparing for the Olympics the very year the last Olympics ended.

"Olympic athletes need special funds; they need to go to all manner of championships and their health needs to be taken care of.

"An athlete who is preparing for Olympic does not just wait till when there is Olympics; he needs to go and mix up with other athletes in the world.

"That’s how they will build their confidence and heighten their ranking; that way, they move closer to qualifying for the championship."

Nigerian taekwondo players will be aiming to follow in the footsteps of Beijing 2008 Olympic bronze medallist Chika Chukwumerije at Rio 2016
Nigerian taekwondo players will be aiming to follow in the footsteps of Beijing 2008 Olympic bronze medallist Chika Chukwumerije at Rio 2016 ©Getty Images

Binga, a two-time African Games gold medallist, was the technical director of last month’s Chika Chukwumerije Sports Foundation (CCSF) Taekwondo Open Championship in Abuja, which she rated as a "great opportunity" for Nigeria’s athletes.

"This the first time in Africa that we are using the electronic head guard; it wasn’t even used at the 11th African Games in Brazzaville," she said ahead of the event.

"So, this is an opportunity for our players and players in Africa to key into the expectations of the Rio Olympics.

"We have the Olympic qualification coming up in February; we have another G1 event coming up in Morocco and the type of equipment we are using here is what they are going to use there.

"So, it is an opportunity because the new equipment won’t be strange to the athletes when they go out there."

The CCSF, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) dedicated to the empowerment of youths through taekwondo, is headed by Chika Chukwumerije, winner of an Olympic bronze medal in the over 80 kilogram category at Beijing 2008.


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