Lagos Ready To Host ITTF Tournaments – Sports Commission Chairman
The Executive Chairman of the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC), Sola Aiyepeku, has promised that the state will host a befitting International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) African Cup, Club Championships in line with the ideals of making Lagos the continent’s sports hub.
The African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF) recently awarded the state the hosting rights of World Championships regional qualification for West African teams between May 19 and 21, the African Club Championships May 23 to 25, and the African Cup from May 26 and 28.
Aiyepeku, who is a member of the ATTF-appointed Main Organising Committee (MOC), is sure that Lagos will continue to raise the bar of the ITTF competitions yearly.
“We are an experienced state having staged several international tournaments in the past, which has encouraged the ITTF and ATTF to see the state as the qualified city for this year’s tournament,” Aiyepeku said.
“For nine days, we will have the best players from across Africa coming to Lagos to compete, as well as enjoy the hospitality of the good people of Lagos.”
“Apart from the organisation, which is always top-notch, the enthusiasm of fans that most times thronged the venue to watch the stars showcasing their talents has made the state a place to be for major sporting events.”
“We have the personnel as well as the infrastructure to host the event and we hope that we can continue to raise the bar in Africa. We believe that all our visitors will enjoy the tourism potential of the state even as they are coming to compete in tournaments,” Aiyepeku concluded.
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In the African Cup, each participating country will nominate two players each in the men’s and women’s events, while the hosts will nominate four players each for the tournament.
Meanwhile, the nine-man MOC will be chaired by the ITTF Vice President, Wahid Oshodi, and assisted by Cote d’Ivoire Table Tennis Federation President, Prof. Alfred Germain Karou.
Chidi Nwoke/The Guardian.
