England, US, Germany, 25 Others For 2nd Lagos Badminton Classics

No fewer than 28 countries will take part in the 2nd Lagos International Badminton Classics slated for July 15 to 18, 2015, the organisers have said.

At a press briefing held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium last Thursday, the Vice President of Nigeria Badminton Federation, who also is the Chairman, Lagos State Badminton Association, LSBA, Francis Orbih, told journalists that Lagos is fully prepared to host the event.

He further said this year’s participation is a testimony of the success of the last one, which had 16 participating countries.

“Last year’s maiden edition had 16 countries participating in the four-day tournament, while the prize money was $10,000,” Orbih said at the press conference in Lagos.

In the second edition of the tourney, which takes place at the Mobolaji Johnson Indoor Sports Hall, Rowe Park, Lagos, the winner will smile home with $15,000.

Some of the countries expected at the competition include England, Italy, the US, Germany, Belgium, Ireland, Poland, Russia, Turkey, Czech Republic, Mauritius and India.

Others are Israel, South Africa, France, Portugal, Egypt, Austria, Canada, Slovakia, Hungary, Benin, Ghana, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Uganda, Zambia, and host Nigeria.

Orbih explained that the LIBC is an initiative borne out of the need to create an international competition for home grown talents who don’t participate in international tournaments.

He explained further that with the LIBC, home grown talents can garner points to enable them participate in other international competitions across the world. He also said the event gives the local talents the rare opportunity to play against the best in the world, which in turns helps their playing skills too.

“The four-day event is an international competition and players will use it as platform to garner points for world ranking and it is also an opportunity to showcase the positive side of Lagos and Nigeria. We are ready to give the participants the best tournament ever,” Orbih said.

He further disclosed that, “The championship is open to all players, male and female, and the players will be representing themselves and not their countries.”

More than 80 Nigerian players are expected to compete with their foreign counterparts for cash and world ranking points in the men and women singles, men and women doubles and mixed double events.

Also speaking at the briefing, Technical Director of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, Tunde Kazeem, expressed confidence in the ability of country’s players to give their foreign counterparts a good fight especially with the All Africa Games just a few months away.

In his own address, Vice President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Babatunde Fatai Williams, said there is no doubt that this year’s championship would be better than the maiden edition. He expressed hopes that the third edition will have more participants than this year’s.

He thanked the Lagos State Government for sponsoring the tournament. He urged corporate organisations to also join in the sponsorship of the event.