Table Tennis Tourney: NTTF To Check Age Cheating

Nigeria Table-Tennis Federation, NTTF, has advised the players wishing to participate in its ‘Reach Out Nigeria Open Championships’ to come with their original birth certificates and licences.

The competition, which is the 3rd edition, will hold at the Christ Embassy Church Hall, Uyo,  Akwa Ibom, from 12-23 September.

Secretary of the federation,  Segun Oguntade told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Lagos that it was to forestall age cheating and ensure that senior players did not compete in the junior category.

Oguntade, however, said that junior players could compete in the senior category.

“The idea is to ascertain players’ genuine ages, prevent age cheating in the ping-pong game and to be sure of players’ membership of the federation.

“It is obligatory for table-tennis players to renew their membership every year by obtaining a licence from the NTTF, that is a prerequisite for participation in any of the federation’s competitions,” he said.

Oguntade said that Emeka Nnabuko, the sponsor of the annual competition and Head Pastor of Christ Embassy Church, Uyo, donated N2 million for the event.

He said the juniors would compete in the boys/girls singles, boys/girls doubles and mixed doubles events, while in the senior, there will be men’s/women’s singles, men’s/women’s doubles and mixed doubles.

Oguntade added that there would also be the team events and doubles team events in both categories.