Details have emerged on why Team Nigeria’s promising young Taekwondo talent and medal hopeful, Chijioke Kalu (Jnr), missed the opportunity to represent the country at the 2025 Fédération Internationale du Sport Universitaire (FISU) Games.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Kalu was among the promising athletes who qualified for the Games after performing admirably at the National Trials in April.
The event attracted over 500 athletes and officials from more than 40 Nigerian universities. The trials, held at the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Academy Training Ground in Lamingo, Jos, served as a preparatory competition to select Nigerian representatives for the global games.
The FISU World University Games—one of the world’s largest multi-sport events—are currently taking place in Germany from 16 to 27 July across five cities in the Rhine-Ruhr region, including Bochum, Duisburg, Essen, Hagen, and Mülheim an der Ruhr, as well as in the capital, Berlin.
Kalu, an undergraduate student of Statistics at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), was viewed as a strong medal prospect for Nigeria after winning bronze in the -80kg category at the Taekwondo male event of the 2024 National Sports Festival in Ogun.
However, he was unable to participate due to missing the registration deadline, an outcome attributed to poor planning, corruption, and maladministration by FUTO sports officials responsible for the athletes’ preparation, documentation, and accreditation.
When contacted, FUTO’s Director of Sports, Dr (Mrs) Nnennaya Anyanwu, initially declined to comment. She later informed NAN that only the President of the Nigeria University Games Association (NUGA) could address questions related to the preparation of the athletes for the event.
Similarly, Prof. Chikwendu Orji, Dean of Student Affairs at FUTO, expressed his hope that FUTO would still participate in the Games, despite the missed deadline.
NUGA President, Prof. Bawa Muhammed, however, expressed disappointment in several Nigerian universities for their lack of commitment, which he noted hindered fundraising efforts and deprived qualified athletes of the opportunity to showcase their talents on a global stage.
Regarding FUTO’s failed registration, Prof. Bawa stated: “FUTO did not pay their dues on time, and the portal was eventually closed. This is unacceptable, especially considering the future of students who have trained and prepared extensively for this competition. Our talents must not be allowed to slip away from our hands.”
CSP Kalu Chijioke (Snr), the father of the affected athlete, criticised the school’s handling of the situation, recalling that FUTO had previously produced Olympians such as Chika Chukwumerije and Elizabeth Anyanacho.
“I owe my son a duty to defend him, no matter what it takes. As Director of Sports, what else should be your legacy?”
“Even if the school may claim it lacks funds, it is the responsibility of the Director of Sports, who appreciates the infinite possibilities of sports, to inform the management of the enormous benefits that could accrue to the university through FISU participation.”
He also questioned how youth restiveness could be addressed if talented young people—especially from the South East—are denied access to opportunities available to their peers in other parts of the country. (NAN)
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