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.
Emmanuel Igbinosa, the instructor at the first CFN Commissaires Course on Track Cycling, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja the course was to introduce Nigerian commissaries to track officiating.
Igbinosa, a CFN board member and Chairman Technical Committee, said 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.
“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 commissaries course scheduled for July 24 before the African Cup.
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“This is the first time we are having something of this nature in the country,” Igbinosa added.
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.
Igbinosa said the successful ones out of the 24 officials who took part in the course would take part in the UCI course in July.
“We had 24 participants. They are not coaches but we call them commissaries, 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,” he said.
Igbinosa added that an instructor would come from Italy to handle the UCI commissaries course which would be the second phase of the training from July 22 to July 25.
“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,’’ he said.
Osaretin Emuze, a participant in the course, said the track commissaries course was good and it would help to develop track cycling in Nigeria.
Emuze said the three-day training course had improved the knowledge of participants in the track cycling event which was new to West Africa.
He commended the CFN for organising the course, expressing hope that many Nigerians would be successful so that they could attend the UCI course in July.
“We lack Nigerian commissaries in the sport in Africa and internationally. My prayer is that this course will favour many of us,’’ Emuze said. (NAN)
