On the 22nd of July, 2024, the SEALS Cup ’24 planning committee held their press conference ahead of the tournament for draws and explanation on modalities at the UI’SRC Chamber, Kunle Adepeju Building.
In preparation for the tournament, the planning committee held their press conference with journalists from different LPOs and representatives of each participating department in attendance. The press conference started by 4:15pm with an address from Ayobami Ojeniyi, a member of the organising committee, who welcomed everyone and took attendance of each representative for their respective departments for both male and female categories.
Without further ado, a draw was made for the female category of the tournament. The female category will involve two groups (A and B) where each group will be having 5 teams, from which two teams each will be qualifying straight to the semis.
Ayobami raised a concern for the male category in the past editions, where teams from the same faculty were facing each other in the group stages which should ideally not happen. To avoid that, teams were drawn from four pots this time and the criteria for the pots were made clear.
The pots are as follows:
- Pot 1: Departments in the Faculty of Engineering together with the Economics Department.
- Pot 2: Departments in the Faculties of Arts and Environmental Design.
- Pot 3: Departments in Faculties under College of Medicine, the Faculties of Agriculture, and the two stand-alone Faculties – Vet. Medicine and Pharmacy.
- Pot 4: Department in Faculties of Sciences (Social Sciences included) and Education.
Other instructions rolled out in the conference included:
- Forms are to be submitted on or before Thursday 25th July by 12 noon.
- Defending champions (Philosophy) plays the opening match upon existing traditions.
- Maximum inclusion of 3 DLC or Postgraduates Players for departments that are applies.
- Match time will be 15mins per half for Female Category and 30mins per half for Male Category.
- Match rescheduling will be based only on weather conditions, to be ascertained by organizers.
The conference ended after rolling out the instructions by 5:04pm.
Draws for the Male Category
Group A
Philosophy
EEE
Vet Medicine
Statistics
Group B
AEE
English
Pharmacy
Microbiology
Group C
Mechanical Engineering
History
Nursing
Psychology
Group D
IPE
Linguistics
Physiology
Adult Education
Group E
Economics
Urban and Regional Planning
MBBS
Human Kinectics
Group F
WPE
Architecture
Animal Science
Political Science
Group G
Civil Engineering
Anthropology and Archaeology
Public Health
Computer Science
Group H
Petroleum Engineering
Classics
Agric Economics
Chemistry
Draws for the Female Category
Group A
LARIS
Philosophy
History
Archaeology
Nursing
Group B
Linguistics
Statistics
MBBS
Public Health
ASSE
Speaking with the Press, Mr. Obaloluwa Samuel, a representative from Human Kinetics, expressed his anticipation for the teams drawn in the same group as his, he added that they will go all out for the competition to bring the prize back home. The representative for the Political Science team said, “We are entering the tournament with much anticipation and anxiety, although the team’s majority are fresh recruits, we will not fail to deliver maximum performance come the competition.”
Customarily, the defending champions opens the tournament on the first game day. To that regard, Philosophy will be facing Veterinary Medicine on Friday, 26th of July, 2024, by 4:30 pm at the SUB Pitch.
Sidiq Moshood.
