NAN-S-3
Deaf
By Kemi Ajayi
Lagos, Dec. 20, 2016 (NAN) Kamiludeen Banjo, Coach of the National Deaf Football Team, on Tuesday appealed for financial support to ensure the nation’s participation in the 2017 Africa Deaf cup in Mali.
Banjo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that paucity of funds prevented the team from participating in the 5th edition held in Senegal this year.
“We did everything humanly possible to get funds to travel down to Senegal for the Deaf Cup this year but unfortunately, we missed the competition.
“We wrote various letters to the Sport Ministry and personal letter to the Minister of Youths and Sports but up till date no single response to the letters.
“Some of the players are still morally down because we did not participate in the 5th edition after all the preparations and honestly they feel rejected because they are deaf.
“We don’t want the same thing to happen next year, so I am appealing for any form of support we can get to be part of the competition next year,’’ he said.
NAN reports that the nation has won the competition three times since its inception in 2012.
He added that participation in the African tournament would prepare the team for the 2017 Deaflymics Games holding in Ankara, Turkey, from July 18 to July 30. (NAN)
KOA/ENN/DUA
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(Edited by Edwin Nwachukwu/Dada Ahmed
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