The novel coronavirus pandemic has resulted in the postponement and even outright cancellation of many sporting events worldwide. However, despite the latest format introduced by the organizers, the annual African Freestyle Football Championships will not be affected; Feet ‘N’ Tricks International.
Tagged UNLOCKED Africa 2020 Championship, Valentine Ozigbo, Feet ‘N’ Tricks International Chairman, explained to journalists at a virtual press conference on Tuesday how the 2020 African Freestyle Football Championships are going to take place.
Mr Ozigbo announced the championship will be online and filled with prizes and surprises to “develop and nurture an art, a lifestyle, and a passion for many.”
While noting that the world was going through a challenging time due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr Ozigbo explained that his passion for the development of football’s freestyle genre encouraged him to find a way past the pandemic to continue a tradition that had become his passion.
He further claimed that while most other sports have shut down or scaled down, free-style football can very easily go on in a non-contact manner to follow the laws of physical distance.
Daniel Woods, co-founder of the World Freestyle Football Association which was also part of Tuesday’s session, thanked Mr Ozigbo for seeing hope and possibilities through virtual means beyond desperation and helplessness in the world.
Wood said the global shutdown triggered a lull in global sports but expressed gratitude to Mr Valentine and his team at Feet ‘N’ Tricks for not “letting free style football die”
For his part, the president of the Nigerian Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, said he saw the upcoming event as an opportunity for youth to be gainfully occupied at a time when most countries had been pausing for sporting activities.
Giving a rundown of the logistics for the contest, Mr Ozigbo explained that, like previous editions, the competition is structured for inclusiveness and will have male and female contestants in the People’s Choice category competing for $50, $30 and $20 cash prizes every day.
While the Judges Preference category will see freestyle footballers competing for the grand prize of $1000 in the last week of the contest. Other prizes for the winners in 2nd , 3rd, 4th, and 5th place are $750, $500, $250 and $150. It will give out a total of $6,300 in cash prizes.
Mr Ozigbo called on well-meaning supporters and sports-lovers alike to take this opportunity to promote a community that can bring people together and encourage harmony and cohesion.
The UNLOCKED Africa 2020 Freestyle is the fourth installment of the annual freestyle football event.
It would start on Wednesday, July 1 with the grand finale set for Monday, July 20, 2020 to take place.
