A cross section of the Handball Officials and Team Representatives During the Hand Ball Technical Section Held on Saturday
Sixteen universities are set to battle for supremacy in handball as the 27th Nigerian University Games (NUGA) kick off at the University of Jos.
Moses Balogun, Chairman of the NUGA Handball Committee, announced this after a technical meeting with representatives of participating institutions on Saturday. He said the session was designed to ensure a smooth and disciplined competition.
According to him, the meeting addressed key issues, including match draws, new rule updates, and competition formats aligned with International Handball Federation (IHF) standards. “We discussed about eight aspects of the rules that have changed so that everyone is on the same page,” Balogun said. He revealed that nine male and seven female teams will compete across two groups — Group A and Group B — without any seeding to promote fairness. “The winners of each group will face the runners-up of the opposite group in the semifinals,” he explained.
Malugu stressed the importance of discipline among teams, noting that it begins with the coaches. “If the coach is disciplined, the team will be disciplined. We are going to ensure discipline throughout the tournament,” he assured.
Due to limited facilities, matches will be played on a single court outside the campus. Game durations have been adjusted to 20 minutes for females and 25 minutes for males, instead of the standard 30 minutes per half.
On officiating, Balogun gave assurances of impartiality, stating that some of the country’s top referees will handle the games. “Any team that loses will do so either to a better side or to luck, not because of poor officiating,” he said.
He also disclosed that the defending champions in both the male and female categories — Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) — will not feature in this year’s competition due to financial constraints. This, he added, influenced the decision to conduct open draws without seeding.
Meanwhile, Peter Grace, goalkeeper of Bamidele Olumilua University, Ekiti State, expressed optimism ahead of her team’s debut appearance. “We’ve won several silver medals this year, and we told ourselves this is the time to go for gold. UNIJOS may be a major challenge among the four teams we’ll face, but we’re ready,” she said.
Also speaking, Dr Patricia Ojeyokan, coach and former silver and bronze medalist, said her team is determined to claim the top prize despite the change in weather conditions. “The weather is harsh for us coming in, but no team threatens our grip on the gold medal this time,” she stated confidently.
The first match of the competition will take place tomorrow, Sunday, at 8 a.m., featuring a female Group A clash between BUK and UNIJOS, while the male opener will see LASU face FUTMinna.
