Badminton: BFN Lifts Training Ban As Sponsor Donates 1,000 Face Masks

The Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) has lifted restrictions on training and allowed its players return to the courts in line with the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development proclamation on ease of restrictions of training for non-contact sports.

According to a statement signed by BFN president Francis Orbih Esq., the Federation has fashioned out protocols and modalities for the resumption of training and has made plans to ensure compliance to these important protocols.

The Federation, in the same vein, has issued protocols for when competitions resume.

The statement reads: “The Board, prompted by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development proclamation on ease of restrictions of training for non-contact sports of which badminton is one, has fashioned out protocols and modalities for the resumption of training and has made plans to ensure compliance to these all important protocols. The Federation in the same vein has also issued protocols for when competitions resume”.

“The board also stressed the need for adherence to these training and competition protocols for training and when competitions resume,” the statement added.

The federation’s ten step protocol for mitigating the spread of covid-19 and ensuring player safety at tournaments include decontaminating and disinfecting proposed competition venues; provision of running water and alcohol-based hand sanitisers at all entrances and designated points; mandatory use of face masks; use of infrared thermometers at entrances to ascertain suspect temperatures and a complete ban on vendors inside competition arenas.

Others include, testing athletes and sport personnel during competition; ensuring vehicles operate at sixty per cent capacity, ensuring proper disposal of waste; ensuring facilities and hostels are well ventilated and enforcing social distancing rules.

Also, BFN partners GIG Logistics has donated 1,000 branded face masks to be distributed to badminton players across the country. This is to complement the efforts of the Federation in cushioning the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Orbih, each player gets two face masks as distribution has already commenced and all badminton players are expected to receive their face masks through their zonal representatives in the next few days.

The BFN President expressed appreciation of his board to the management of GIG Logistics and has directed the Media and Publicity committee to ensure maximum sensitisation about the safe use of the face masks.