As Nigeria joins the world in celebrating International Day for Sports Development and Peace, the President of Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF), Engineer Musa Nimrod has urged volleyball players to keep all hope alive during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nimrod advised volleyball athletes to abide by guidelines laid down by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
Nimrod also urged the athletes to continue to keep fit in their respective destination adding that there might be bombardment of competition immediately the COVID-19 comes to an end.
Nimrod said, “Nigeria Volleyball players must continue to keep hope alive amidst this COVID-19 pandemic. We are in trying times and the athletes must pray for its leaders daily.
“The Federal Government has declared total lockdown in Abuja and Lagos while some states have declared partial lockdown in order to curtail the spread of the virus. This means the volleyball family must abide by the guidelines laid down by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) like washing of hands regularly.
“Since stadia have been closed by the Federal Government of Nigeria, volleyball players must keep active in their various homes because their might be bombardment of national competition, international tournaments as well as Olympic qualifiers”.
Nimrod commended the minister of sports, Sunday Dare for his activeness during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said the minister of Sports have shown to the world that he is capable of piloting the affairs of sports in Nigeria.
Nimrod said, “You will agree with me that the sports minister is playing a vital role in the fight against COVID-19. He always sensitize the athletes and released some of the sports facilities as centres to treat patients across the Federal”.
Reacting to the request of cancellation of the 2020 Tokyo Games beach volleyball Africa qualifier results held in Nigeria by Kenya Volleyball Federation, Nimrod said the decisions of Confederation of Africa Volleyball (CAVB) and International Olympic Committee (IOC) stands.
Nimrod said the President of CAVB, Amr Elwani had declared that the outcome of three that had already been played would remain which also includes the qualifiers held in Nigeria.
Speaking on CAVB’s YouTube channel Elwani said, “CAVB agreed to stop and postpone all upcoming activities and competitions even the Continental Cup events until further notice. This decision came in the best interest of all the parties considering that the health of the athletes, officials and fans is to be given top priority by all sporting authorities”.
