Despite the inability of the Federal Ministry of sports to produce a team for the 2017 Summer Universiade in Taipei, Taiwan; some top officials of sporting federations were invited to officiate.
The opening ceremony was done on Saturday and marred with protest but the Taipei 2017 Organising Committee chief executive Su Li-chiung has condemned the protests and promised stricter safety measures for the rest of the Universiade.
The University Games began on Saturday 19th August and will run through to 30th August 2017. Two heavy weight Nigerians will officiate in the Judo and weightlifting events which has begun.
This Nigerian is the Referee Director for West Africa Association of Judo Federations (AFOAJ). Last May he was among 18 Nigerians who attended an international training course at Lusaka, Zambia, as a referee.
Professor De-souza officiated at the 2015 World Junior Judo Championships in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirate. He is also a World Gold Badge Judo Referee and only Nigerian in attendance at the 2016 International Judo Federation (IJF) Referee and Coach Seminar in Tokyo, Japan.
Professor De Souza happens to be one of the two Africans that discussed the way forward for Judo in the World after the Rio Olympics Games. He was a founding member of 4 Major Martial Arts forms in Nigeria but a specialist in Judo.
The Director of sports, Akwa Ibom state at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, competed in the Men’s Lightweight and won silver medals for 130 kg in Snatch, 160 kg in Clean and jerk and 290 kg overall.
The former Technical Director of the Nigeria Weightlifting Federation competed in weightlifting at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.
In 1984 he competed in the Men’s Featherweight and became 14th of 21 competitors with 107.5 kg in Snatch and 130 kg in Clean and jerk.
The Ex national champion is a category one international referee ,who has officiated in many international competition both common wealth games ,African games ,African championship and the Olympics game.
