National Sports Festival: Number of athletes slashed to 8,000 as minister gives assurance

THE number of athletes participating at the Edo 2020 National Sports Festival has been reduced, the sports ministry has announced.

The thrice postponed event will finally go ahead as planned from 2 April to 14 but with the number of athletes significantly cut down.

The festival was initially supposed to have around 14,000 athletes in attendance but the number has been slashed by almost half to 8,000, according to sports minister Chief Sunday Dare. 

Speaking in Benin on Friday after a tour of facilities and a meeting with Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki, Dare said: “On April 2nd, 2021, the camp for the Edo 2020 National Sports Festival will be opened, and on April 6th the official opening of the festival by Mr President will take place. 

“But beyond that, we are also working  closely with the PTF, NCDC and others to ensure that the necessary support we need in terms of vaccination of athletes and test kits will be available. 

“We are also toning down the number of athletes that will be participating from 14,000 to 8,000. I must thank the Governor and his Deputy Governor for taking the lead on this.” 

On ths accomodation of athletes, the minister said: “We have been able to get the University of Benin to host our athletes. “There is still some work to be done here which may not be on the radar, but everything is on track, I can tell you with certainty that the Edo National Sports Festival will hold. After meeting with the Governor, His Excellency Godwin Obaseki, and his Deputy Comrade Philip Shuaibu, we are reassured that we are on track to host a successful National Sports Festival. All obstacles have been cleared; we are ready for a great festival. 

“The event is coming at the most auspicious time when we are preparing for the Olympics.This is our local Olympics  and we shall make the most of it. The President has given his nod for the Festival to take place; there’s  no going back.”

The biennial festival billed for March 2020 was postponed due to the outbreak of Covid-19 and the new February 2021 date was also changed due to a paucity of funds.

The sports ministry says Dare had to make a special presentation to President Muhammadu Buhari for funds to support Edo State after Governor Obaseki declared  that the state lacked the resources to host the  festival.