New Taekwondo federation board’ll focus on athletes, grassroots

Following their formal inauguration, the Margaret Binga-led board of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation has promised to give priority to athletes as well as grassroots development of the sport.

Binga, who was inaugurated in Abuja on Wednesday as the first female President of the federation promised to restore the glory of Nigeria in taekwondo continentally and globally.

In her acceptance speech, the former two-time African champion also pledged that the newly inaugurated board under her leadership will be committed to leading the sport to its past glory.

“We will focus on grassroots events and building a Federation that is centered on athletes and we will govern in such a way that benefits the taekwondo practitioners and stakeholders.”

At the inauguration which had in attendance duly elected board members and other sports dignitaries, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Barrister Solomon Dalung, urged the newly elected President to avoid situations that lead to impeachment and to focus on development.

“Make sure you hold regular meetings unless you will be inviting impeachment,” Dalung warned.

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“I do not want sole administrators where only one person makes the decision. Hold at least four board meetings in a year.”

He added: “The federation must pass and ratify their constitution within three months otherwise you are inviting the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports to take over your Federation. If this happens, do not say that we are interfering.”

Dalung charged the Taekwondo President to focus on grassroots developmental initiatives, and called for unity among the taekwondo stakeholders for the sport to advance.

“I am tired of seeing recycled athletes who have been competing for two decades. Please go back to your grassroots sports development programs. I want to be invited to see nine and ten year-old competing in taekwondo,” the Minister said.

“Taekwondo was one of the first that greeted me with crisis when I became Minister. One of the former board members accurately predicted that the crisis at the time will be costly for the Olympics. Clearly, nothing much can be achieved without unity. I urge the board to work together to take the sport forward.”

With her formal inauguration on Wednesday, Binga has become the second ever female president of any of the able bodied sports federation in Nigeria.

 

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