Algeria waives off participation fees
The Nigerian School Sports Federation (NSSF) has started scouting for top talents that will represent Nigeria at the inaugural African School Games scheduled to be hosted by Algeria later this year.

The NSSF every year organises a series of competitions to fish out talented students, who are then trained and used for international championships.

A source at the NSSF told The Guardian, yesterday, that the federation has started assembling a squad for the games, which will bring all student-athletes from the 51-member countries of the African Union to compete for honours and also get to bond together.

“We are currently liaising with the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) to raise a strong contingent for the African School Games, which is the latest idea for the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) in its quest to grow African talents,” the source said.

Also, yesterday, the NOC announced that Algeria has announced a waiver that “will allow athletes participating in the African School Games, an initiative of ANOCA, in partnership with the International Federation, the Union of African Olympic Sports Confederations (CASOL), and the IOC to be exempted from participation fees.”

The NOC said that the waiver was announced by Algeria’s Minister of Sports, Walid Sadi, adding that the heads of Mission of the 51 participating countries see it as an important gesture of solidarity from Algeria.

A statement signed by NOC’s Media Chief, Tony Nezianya, said: “It should be noted that facilities are currently being studied (by ANOCA) to facilitate air transport to Algiers for the participating teams. This initiative to create the first African School Games by ANOCA under the aegis of the IOC is felt to be of greater interest for the development of African youth and the preservation of the enormous potential that the continent contains.”