Nigeria to host African Fencing Championships
The International Fencing Federation (FIE) has awarded Nigeria the hosting right for the 2018 Junior/Cadet African Fencing Championships.
The event, which will take place from February 26 to March 5 at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos has been endorsed by Lagos State, with Governor Akinwunmi Ambode scheduled to attend the ceremony along the FIE President, Alisher Usmanov, who is Russia’s richest man and a major shareholder in Arsenal Football Club.
President of the Nigeria Fencing Federation, Adeyinka Samuel said this is the first time Nigeria will host any international event in the sport, adding that the country beat Tunisia and Algeria to the hosting right.
The J/C AFC is an internationally recognized and FIE-approved tournament that provides a platform for fencers across Africa’s 31 registered nations to compete for world ranking points leading to the 2018 World Championships in Verona, Italy and the 2020 Olympics Games in Tokyo, Japan.
Other international dignitaries are also expected at the championship, which is expected to attract over 150 fencers from about 25 African countries.
Samuel, a former top 100-ranked fencer, lauded Governor Ambode for the support to host the event, pointing that it would boost tourism and other businesses in the state.
