By Joe Apu
A total of 20 Nigerians have been formally certified by the world basketball ruling body, FIBA ahead of the 2019 World Cup campaign next February.
The recent certification and presentation of certificates to 15 statisticians and table officials during the finals of the FIBA Africa Zone 3 club championship elimination hosted by Nigeria.
The list of the 15 successful candidates out of the 80 participants during the 2-day training facilitated by the Nigeria Basketball Federation in conjunction with FIBA is led by Kelvin Anene, McArthur Finecountry, Shomala Abiola, Olatunde Ladapo and Akinyele Henry.
Others are Adeniji Adewale, Abiola Olarewaju, Okoh Chinedu, Azeez Bello, Ayotunde Onabolu, Osundina Opeyemi, Oni Adeniyi, Asher Emmanuel and Semiu Oshinaike who are now certified to operate at any FIBA organised events anywhere in the world with immediate effect.
10 others who also participated at the training are on the pending list and may be certified before the D’Tigers begin their world cup qualification at home against Uganda on the 23rd of February, 2018.
In an official mail to the NBBF by FIBA and signed by its Statistician Instructor, Arnaud Sevaux, the body congratulated the successful candidates with an assurance that more Nigerians will soon be certified.
According to FIBA, Rasaq Okedeyi, Olayinka Famgbiyele, Samuel Shofoluwe, Simon Evbuomwan and Toluwalase Otukoya have also been certified as table officials ahead of the 2018 basketball season.
Meanwhile, D’Tigers will start their 2019 World cup campaign against Uganda on the 23rd of February, Uganda on the 24th before playing Rwanda on the 25th.