Mr Solomon Dalung: Minister of Sports

Cycling Federation of Nigeria, CFN, on Wednesday concluded a training course for 24 Nigerian Commissaires in track cycling to ensure proper officiating at the forthcoming African Cup on Track Cycling.

Disclosing this, a CFN board member and Chairman Technical Committee said that the course was to introduce Nigerian commissaries to track officiating pointing out that the three-day training course was a pre-qualification for the Union Cycling International, UCI, commissaries course in track cycling.

He said the African Cup on Track Cycling slated to hold in Abuja in July would be the first time CFN would organise an international track cycling competition adding, “No international track cycling competition has ever been held in Nigeria. We actually lack officiating personal in this country when it comes to track cycling events. This is the first phase of the course as a pre-qualification course to the second phase of the training for the UCI commissaires course scheduled for July 24 before the African Cup. This is the first time we are having something of this nature in the country”.

He said the essence of the coaching course was to groom officials who would officiate during the African Cup on Track scheduled for the Abuja velodrome from July 26 to July 27 stressing that the successful ones out of the 24 officials who took part in the course would take part in the UCI course in July.

According to him, “We had 24 participants. They are not coaches but we call them commissaires, like the referees in football. We are hoping that now that they have completed this course, they will be able to effectively handle the UCI course when we come back in July. The CFN course has given them the basic knowledge and they have their books to read from now till July”.

Igbinosa further stated that another the second phase of the training, which would be handled by an instructor from Italy would hold July 22 to July 25 saying, “The UCI instructor from Italy will also conduct another examination for them and those that pass the course will get a UCI certificate. We started this programme alongside the riders we have in camp. They are also training ahead of the African Cup in July”.
NAN