Eagles hosting off indefinitely, may get 1st October

It is no longer news that the hosting of CHAN Eagles will no longer hold as planned tomorrow February 28, with fillers indicating that the President's tight schedule is responsible for the latest indefinite postponement.

 The original idea for tomorrow was to have the team received during the Federal Executive Meeting Wednesday which incidentally will equally not hold.

The CHAN Eagles led by Coach Salisu Yusuf played in the finals of championship in Casablanca Morocco settling for the second place behind eventual winners and host Morocco, the first time Nigeria will be making it to that level.

There are however strong indication that the team may not be hosted till after the world cup in July. A reliable source who would not want to be named, gave the hint noting that there are important matters that need urgent attention for now.

The source said to have the ear of the presidency put up superior argument against’ piecemeal hosting of national teams'

"There are so many things requiring the president's attention right now. The CHAN Eagles did well and deserve to be hosted, we have those who represented the country for the first time at the winter Olympics in Korea, and the Commonwealth Games is around the corner just like the world cup in Russia. Wouldn’t it be better to have our athletes compete in all these outings and then we sit down and host them all," the source queried.

Should the Presidency buy the idea then no hosting of athletes will take place until after the world cup.  The source we further gather, even floated the idea of hosting all the athletes on October 1st, adding “In recent times October 1st which is our independent Day has been on the quiet side, we could add colour to it by using it to host all our athletes who represented the country in all the championships"

Some sports stakeholders however reasoned that the postponement may not be unconnected with the threat by Wrestlers to boycott the forth coming Commonwealth Games Gold Coast Australia over their non recognition by government.  

The wrestlers had cited the proposed reception of the CHAN Eagles and as well as recognition of the Basketball team adding that it appears that they are being treated as second class citizens after winning the African Wrestling Champions in Port Harcourt aside from other laurels they had won before then.

The government may have bought the idea to postpone the reception to avoid controversies that would draw negative comments at this time.

The CHAN Eagles arrived the country on the 6th February after playing in the Final February 4th. The team was initially billed to be hosted 7th February but the date was shifted to 14th February then to 28 before the latest indefinite postponement.