Badminton
FOUL PLAY AS EGYPTIAN EMBASSY MAY SCUTTLE NIGERIA’S BADMINTON OLYMPIC HOPES
Nigeria’s hope of qualifying for the badminton event of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics is under serious threat.
The Nigerian team is being denied the opportunity of featuring at the All Africa Senior Badminton Championship, which begins this Monday in Cairo Egypt.
Nigeria are the defending champions and require further points from the championship to qualify their players for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
But as at the weekend, the Egyptian Embassy in Nigeria has not granted the players with visas to proceed to Egypt and may not be able to feature in the championship.
Nigeria is the leading nation in African badminton and are followed by Egypt which apparently want to deny the featuring of the Nigerian team.
At
the African Games in Rabat six months ago, Nigeria topped the medals table in
badminton ahead of second-placed Egypt. While the Nigerian team had eight
medals comprising of two gold, three silver and three bronze, Egypt had six
made up of a gold, a silver and four bronze medals.
The absence of Nigeria at the Cairo championship offers Egypt a near-walkover.
According to the President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, (BFN), Francis Orbih, foul play is being suspected as the Egyptian Embassy has not given the team the required visa.
The team of 12 players and three coaches had planned to travel last Friday to be able to train and also have a day rest ahead of the championship on Monday.
The non-issuance of visa has gravely affected the players. In addition, the team will have to pay penalties for the flight tickets not utilized last Friday.
Egyptian Embassy is yet to grant the country’s contingent visa to the All Africa Senior Championships in Egypt in Cairo which begins on Monday the 10th of February 2020.
Orbih, the BFN chieftain, remarked that the federation considered the treatment meted to the Nigerian team as alarming and shocking noting that it is capable of derailing Nigeria’s plan of qualifying for the Olympics.
He said: “The BFN submitted the Team’s application for visa on the 28th of January 2020 with all the supporting and necessary documents, yet the embassy has refused to respond which has fueled suspicion of deliberate sabotage and foul play by the embassy.
“This negates all tenets of Fair Play and Sportsmanship.
“The action or inaction by the embassy has ensured that the Nigerian team will miss out on the Team event in the Championship thereby losing its chance of qualifying for the Thomas & Uber Cups,” he added.
The Federation expressed hope that the intervention of the Badminton Confederation of Africa (BCA) and the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development would compel the embassy to issue the visas by Monday the 10th of February and enable the team proceed to Egypt and compete in the Individual Championship which serves as one of the Olympics qualifiers.
The full team consist Eneojo Joseph Abah (Captain), Anuoluwapo Opeyori Juwon, Godwin Richard Olofua , Aliyu Alhaji Shehu, Isaac Murphee Minaphee , Babatunde Bankole Timilehin , Dorcas Ajoke Adesokan (Asst.Captain), Grace Gabriel, Deborah Ukeh-Divine, Sofiyat Arinola Obanishola, Ramatu Yakubu and Ruth Chinenye Ibere. The coaches are:- Senior Team Head Coach, Ben Orakpo, Assistant Coaches George H.Shitta and Susan Ideh-Agboolah.
The delegation is led by the President which includes the Vice President, Chairman Technical committee, the team Manager, Technical Director, Secretary General and two umpires invited by the BCA.
Nigeria is currently ranked number one team on the continent while Egypt is its closest rival.
The Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) has continued its nationwide grassroots development drive with a two-day outreach training held in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.
Organised in collaboration with the Adamawa State Sports Council, the State Ministry of Education, and the Nigeria School Sport Federation (NSSF), Adamawa chapter, the training took place on 24 and 25 September 2025 at the General Murtala Mohammed College hall.
A total of 20 Physical Education teachers and 80 secondary school students from the Yola area participated in the intensive programme, which aimed to introduce badminton to schools and promote the sport at the grassroots level.
The training was facilitated by a team of five coaches led by George Shitta, who also serves as the Director of Sports at the Taraba State Sports Commission. Participants were taken through the fundamentals of badminton, including grip techniques, footwork, serving, stroke execution, game strategy, and proper warm-up routines.
According to the organisers, the programme was part of the BFN’s ongoing partnership with the Community Sports and Educational Development (CSED) Initiative, which has supported similar “Shuttle Time” and “Outreach Badminton Training” sessions across the country over the past three years. These sessions are designed to help teachers and students learn the game together while fostering teamwork, discipline, and social development.
The trainees actively engaged with the coaches — asking questions, sharing experiences, and demonstrating newly acquired skills. At the end of the programme, each participating school received badminton kits, including rackets, shuttlecocks, and nets, to help sustain practice beyond the training.
The Director of the Adamawa State Sports Council, Mr. Daniel Ahmed, graced the event, while the lead facilitator, George Shitta, paid courtesy visits to key education stakeholders — Hajiya Aisha M. Umar, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, and Birsan Panuel, Executive Secretary of the Post Primary Schools Management Board (PPSMB).
Organisers described the initiative as a model of effective collaboration among sports authorities, education agencies, and development partners — a partnership they hope will continue to enhance both the academic and athletic growth of teachers, coaches, and students in Adamawa State.
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The curtain fell on the 8th Lagos International Badminton Classics at the Teslim Balogun Stadium on Saturday, with host nation Nigeria making the podium and the event earning praise as a model for sports tourism in Africa.
Though global heavyweights dominated the finals, Nigeria’s Obanisola and her partner gave the home crowd reason to cheer by clinching bronze in the Women’s Doubles, ensuring the green and white were represented on the podium.
Elsewhere, India’s S. Lele defended her Women’s Singles crown with a 21-15, 21-17 victory over compatriot Kashyap, while Russia’s neutral duo Alimov and Ogloblin sealed Men’s Doubles gold against UAE’s Ravikrishna and Rimdahoi.
Tournament organizers hailed the event as a resounding success. “The Lagos International Badminton Classics has once again proven that Nigeria is ready to host world-class sporting events,” said Francis Orbih, President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN). “We are building a brand that showcases Africa’s talent, hospitality, and passion for badminton.”
With $17,500 prize money shared among winners and athletes praising the hospitality of Lagos, the championship reaffirmed Nigeria’s growing profile as a hub for global sports. The 9th edition in 2026 promises an even bigger spectacle.
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Indonesia stamped their authority on the 8th Lagos International Badminton Classics, turning the Teslim Balogun Stadium into a stage of triumph as they swept multiple gold medals on the final day of action.
From the opening Mixed Doubles clash to the showpiece Men’s Singles final, the Southeast Asian powerhouse asserted its dominance.
The pair of Prasetyo and Munggaren set the tone by defeating India’s Ravat and Maneesha 21-15, 21-17, before P. Shujiwo powered past Japan’s M. Koga 21-15, 21-17 in a pulsating Men’s Singles final.
The Indonesians celebrate in style
The Women’s Doubles final confirmed Indonesia’s superiority, with Meida and Nastine dispatching UAE’s Quathun and Sreejithparol in just 25 minutes (21-18, 21-7), the shortest contest of the evening.
The highlight of the celebrations came as Indonesia’s national anthem echoed repeatedly through the Okoya Thomas Indoor Hall, with Ambassador Bambang Suharto personally presenting the Men’s Singles trophy to Shujiwo — a moment that underscored the national pride attached to the victories.
With three golds and several silver finishes, Indonesia emerged as the undisputed star nation of Africa’s premier badminton competition.
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