Birmingham 2022 Countdown: NOC parleys British High Commission on Team Nigeria

The Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), has assured that the nation’s contingent to the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham would not suffer any form of visa hitches if they meet stipulated requirements and deadline for submission.

NOC President Engr Habu Gumel said yesterday in Abuja after a parley held at the ANOCA building (housing NOC office),between the NOC and the British High Commissioner represented by its Political Counsellor Jonathan Bacon.

“We are in the process of travelling to Birmingham for the Commonwealth Games; and you know definitely, the Nigeria contingent will require visas and that is the reason we requested to meet with the British High Commission in Nigeria,” Gumel told the press after the meeting. “We have received all the guidelines concerning visa processing for our continent and all our questions have been answered.

“ We got all the details we wanted as regards what is going to happen here at the British High Commission and what will happen there in Birmingham.

“We are going to immediately start processing our visas so that our contingent will have their visas in time for us to participate in the Games and make our country proud.”

On his part, Bacon said the British High Commission was ready to partner with the NOC to ensure hitch-free visas for Team Nigeria to Birmingham.

“We have discussed the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in July; it is going to be a fantastic event so we have discussed preparations that NOC is making,” he explained. “We also discussed visa processing for members of the Games’ family who will be travelling to the United Kingdom.

“We want to make things as smooth as possible and to ensure that visa applications are submitted as soon as possible. We had a fruitful discussion.”

NOC Secretary General, Banji Oladapo thanked the British High Commission for their co-operation with NOC and assured that the travelling arrangements for Team Nigeria would be monitored.

The 2022 Commonwealth Games also known as Birmingham 2022 will hold in England from July 28 to August 8, 2022.