Nigeria: Hockey Technical Committee Releases Fixtures

David Ngobua

30 June 2011

Port Harcourt — The fixtures for hockey event released yesterday by the technical committee shows that the male hockey team of Rivers State will slug it out with perennial rivals, Edo and Kebbi States in pool A.

Pool B has leading hockey state, Yobe, Ondo and Abia States to compete for second round ticket.Niger, another force to be reckoned with in the sport will vie with Bauchi and Ogun State in Pool C just as Katsina State and Nasarawa State make up pool D of the event which will hold at the Liberation stadium.

In the female category, the host state is again in Pool A and will battle Oyo State and fellow South-South State Edo.

Pool B has Kaduna, Ondo and Benue State just as Pool C has Imo, Bauchi and Yobe State which looks good to clinch the gold in the female category.

The umpire manager in hockey, Ahmed Mabudo told Trustsports that everything as far as officiating is concerned has been put in place to ensure a hitch-free competition.

He said some of the best hockey referees have been assembled to take charge of the matches adding that there would be fair and firm officiating.

Mabudo said the game of hockey has witnessed tremendous transformation and the games arbiters have not been left behind.

“The technical committee is ready for the matches to commence. We have assembled some of the best hockey referees in the country to handle the matches. We are expecting fair and firm officiating of the matches.

“The game has advanced so much and we have ensured that only those who are up to date with the changes are here to handle these matches”.

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