By Ben Efe 22-5-2025
Kicking boxing officials were Wednesday involved in a fisticuff over who is to officiate at the National Sports Festival on-going in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The bedlam at the kickboxing venue was a fall-out of a leadership crisis in the board of the federation. The ‘impeachment’ of the federation president and imposition of another not qualified had thrown the Kickboxing Federation of Nigeria in a long-drawn feud.
And so, when the technical director handpicked by the imposed president decided to leave out the other board members in the scheme of things and also handpick unqualified officiating officials, the situation boiled over at the venue. There was an open confrontation, which led to the arrest of the handpicked technical director identified as Kevin. And the competition, which was scheduled to begin on Wednesday was called off.
When words reached the Main Organising Committee on the fiasco, the chairman who is also National Sports Commission director-general, Bukola Oladape called the parties together and brokered a deal with a threat that kickboxing would be kicked out of the Gateway Games if they don’t behave.
Mr. Kevin would now handle technical matters, while Mr. Oluigbo will handle officiating. But the competitions are yet to resume at 2.30pm on Thursday, it was gathered that there are still some rumblings by the members and with that it remain to be seen if the NSC director-general will make good his threat to send them packing from Abeokuta.