Pro- Wrestling Africa, the body charged with developing professional wrestling in the African continent, has made a passionate appeal to African Union ( AU) and the Economic Committee of West African States ( ECOWAS) for financial support towards it’s planned continental wrestling championship slated for July this year.
Pro- Wrestling Africa in conjunction with Shaolin Master of Brussels Young Wrestling Style (BYWS), Brussels, Belgium will be organizing a Pan African Wrestling Championship in July under the supervision of ‘Shaolin Master’ Simba Bafuka, coordinator and head coach at the Brussels Young Wrestling Style (BYWS), and the body said they need financial support from both the AU and ECOWAS to enable it put up a successful championship that will help reduce crime, youth restiveness and unemployment in the continent.
According to the Secretary General of the Federation, Olusesan Olukoya, PWA is sincerely passionate about professional wrestling development and growth in African nations and wants to use it to get youths engaged, tackle crime and use and abuse of drugs and illicit substances.
” At Pro- Wrestling Africa, our aim is to take professional wrestling to all the nooks and crannies of Africa thereby making the game a household name in the continent.
“The forthcoming championship, will not only expose the youths to the rudiments of the game but will be used to fight terrorism, violent crimes, substance use and drug abuse, get kids in- school and out -of -school kids out of the streets and into positive ventures.
” Research has shown that when youths are fully engaged in sports, they think less of crime and other societal vices and that’s why we’re seeking for financial support from the two organisations to make the championship a successful one”.
” We’re equally aware that there is an African Union Sports Council which is a specialized Technical Office of the African Union responsible for sports development as well as the ECOWAS Youth & Sports Development Centre which fosters unity amongst member nations through activities like the ECOWAS Games, University Games, and
traditional wrestling contests and we look forward to their giving us the desired financial support”, he concluded
Meanwhile, six countries namely; Nigeria, Togo, Ghana, Benin Republic, Cameroon and DR Congo have indicated interest to be part of the epoch making championship while entries are also being expected from other countries.
In a related development, Sierra Leon Pro Wrestling Federation has expressed willingness to join PWA and attend the championship as observers while Angola, DR Congo and Congo Brazzaville have all indictated interest to join Pro- Wrestling Africa
