By Stephen Benjamin
The President of the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF), Ademola Aré, says the development of qualified coaches, referees and medical personnel is critical to the growth of rugby in Nigeria.
Aré said this in Abuja during a Level 1 and Level 2 coaching and refereeing seminar organised by the NRFF at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Saturday.
He described the programme as part of the federation’s development plan to build a strong foundation for the sport and ensure that Nigeria had enough certified personnel to participate effectively in international competitions.
According to him, the strength of a rugby team goes beyond the quality of its players, as qualified coaches, referees and medical personnel are equally essential.
“No matter the strength of your team, if you don’t have qualified, certified referees, coaches and medical people, they cannot even follow you for any outside programme,” Aré said.
He explained that coaches also needed to attain the appropriate certification before they could lead Nigerian teams to international competitions.
Aré said Nigeria currently has Level 3 coaches, medical personnel and referees, but stressed the need to produce more certified officials across the different levels.
“Having one is not enough. We want to have more, and that is why you see the massive turnout for this programme: Level 1 to Level 2 to Level 3,” he said.
He noted that participants were required to progress through the different certification levels, with the necessary period of active experience at each level before moving to the next.
The NRFF president said the programme was being supported by the National Sports Commission (NSC) and expressed optimism that continued investment would further strengthen rugby development in the country.
NRFF Secretary, Chinedu Osuoha, said the turnout for the coaching and refereeing courses had been encouraging, with participants drawn from different parts of the country.
Osuoha said about 56 people participated in the Level 1 course, while more than 30 attended the Level 2 course.
He explained that the Level 2 course was mainly for participants who had already completed Level 1 and gained the required experience.
Osuoha said the training was sponsored by the government, while the foreign trainers were supported by Rugby Africa and World Rugby.
Meanwhile, Dr Steven Buyungo, a Ugandan orthopaedic surgeon and World Rugby medical trainer, commended the NRFF for incorporating medical training into its development programmes.
Buyungo, who was in Nigeria to conduct a medical course for rugby doctors, said it was his second visit to the country after he first trained Nigerian medical personnel in Asaba, Delta, in 2023.
He said he was pleased to see that some of the personnel trained during his earlier visit had progressed and were now involved in delivering rugby medical training.
“The team that I trained in Asaba has grown through the ranks and today I am very glad to be co-delivering the course with Dr Fikor, because he is part of the people that I trained in Delta,” he said.
Buyungo also encouraged the NRFF to continue expanding the sport and developing personnel across the country.
He expressed surprise that the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, where the training was taking place, did not have a rugby club, saying establishing one could further promote the sport and maximise the use of the facility.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Joseph Edeh