CAHB suspends Africa women junior handball championship in Conakry

Confederation of Africa Handball (CAHB) yesterday postponed indefinitely the 28th Africa Junior Women Team Championship, slated to hold between September 9 and 15 in Conakry, Guinea.

The deferment is contained in a release to presidents of the member federations and signed by the Secretary General of the Confederation of Africa Handball (CAHB), Mr. Charles Omoboumaho.

According to Omoboumaho, this is to allow for registration of more teams for the competitions, which serves as qualifiers for the World Championships in the two-age cadre as Africa has four slots each for the 2022 and 2024 World Women Junior and Youth Championships respectively.

Speaking on the development, coach of the National U-20 Female Handball team, Bukola Duru, expressed regret over it, saying that the team had put finishing touches in its preparation for the championship.

She added that a lot of resources had already been committed into the team by the Handball Federation of Nigeria Caretaker Committee Chairman, Mr. Sam Ocheho, for a successful outing in Conakry.

“We received the news of the postponement of the championship with shock. And quite frankly, I am not happy because the players were already in the competition mood.

“This news is damaging, considering the level of resources that was made available by the Handball Federation of Nigeria led by Chairman Caretaker Committee, Mr. Sam Ocheho, so that the team can have a successful outing at the championship.

“But we won’t relent even as we close camp and we will continue to keep tab on the players and ensure they keep fit in their various clubs ahead of the Prudent Energy Handball Premier League,” Duru said.

Meanwhile, the Coach Duru-led team had been preparing intensively for the championship at the Aguiyi Ironsi Cantonment, Abuja with the aid of her assistant, Coach Isiaka Atanda.

It will be recalled that the Africa Junior Women Handball Championship was earlier postponed by a week by CAHB for better preparation until the adjournment yesterday.