Officiating Controversy Mars Women’s Abula Opener at NSF 2024 as Bayelsa Coach Cries Foul
Accusations of poor officiating overshadowed the women’s Abula opener at the 22nd National Sports Festival (NSF 2024) in Ogun State, as Bayelsa coach Nelson Ebimie slammed match officials for what he called “clear favouritism” during his team’s narrow loss to hosts Ogun.
Bayelsa were edged 2–1 in a tightly contested Group A match, with scores of 16–14, 17–20, 18–20. But Coach Ebimie insists that poor refereeing decisions cost his team the match.
“We had a technical meeting before the game where we agreed to be fair, but what happened was the opposite,” Ebimie said. “Some decisions were shocking — calls that should have gone our way were awarded to the hosts.”
He highlighted a crucial point late in the third set when a ball that appeared to land outside was called in, levelling the game at 15–15. “That changed everything,” he added.
Despite the drama, Bayelsa bounced back strongly in their second match, defeating Bauchi 2–0 (16–3, 16–6), keeping their hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive.
“We’re still in with a chance,” said Ebimie. “We’ve played two — won one, lost one. Now it’s all about winning our next game.”
Ogun State, meanwhile, maintained their perfect start, beating Bauchi 2–0 (16–3, 16–5) to top Group A with two wins from two.
In Group B, Delta State are setting the pace with solid wins over Imo (16–12, 16–13) and Oyo (16–4, 20–18), putting them in a strong position to reach the next round.
Over in the men’s event, Rivers State claimed a hard-fought comeback victory over Imo, winning 2–1 (14–16, 16–9, 16–8). The team is being led by experienced coach Paul Asah, who also manages Nigeria’s national Abula side.
“Rivers is the foundation of Abula in Nigeria,” Asah said. “I’ve won gold across all categories, and I know how to guide my team in tight situations. We’re here to win again.”
Rivers State are competing in both the men’s and mixed events and remain confident of more medals.
