NATIONAL SPORTS FESTIVAL
The rescheduled National Sports Festival comes with innovations
The 22nd edition of the National Sports Festival tagged Gateway Games has been rescheduled to run from 16 to 30 May 2025 in Ogun State. That was the main outcome of the Joint Technical Meeting of the stakeholders at an event held on Thursday 19 December 2024 in Abeokuta.
The Joint Technical Meeting consists of the Main Organising Committee, the Local Organising Committee, the States’ Director of Sports, Sports Federation Secretaries and the Technical Directors of the disciplines of the sports federations taking part in the sports festival.
As a departure from the preceding 21 editions of the festival, the Gateway 2024 will feature an additional team, the Invited Junior Athletes which will compete as the 38th contingent at the festival.
The Invited Junior Athletes codenamed “IJA” will be composed of athletes selected from the National Youth Sports Festival which Delta State is hosting after the previous five-year hosting by Kwara State.
The concept which the Joint Technical Meeting viewed as being developmental is taken after that of the Olympic Games which have some athletes competing as Individual Neutral Athletes under a neutral flag and another one as Refugee Team.
The Invited Junior Athletes therefore will not be featured under the states where they come from.
Following a recommendation by the Commissioner for Health in Ogun State and member of the Local Organising Committee, Dr. Omotomilola Coker, the Joint Technical Committee enjoined all State delegates to appoint a Chief Medical Officer for easy interface before and during the Games.
A breakdown of the schedule of the Gateway Games will show the contingents arriving on May 16 and 17, 2025, while the competition begins on May 18.
The closing ceremony will hold on May 29 which previously was Nigeria’s Democracy Day before it was moved to June 12.
The Zonal Eliminations for Team Sports for the Games will run from February 23-28, 2025.
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The Leadership of the Africa Sports Management Association (ASMA) has joined others in mourning the 22 athletes of Kano State who died on their way back from the just concluded National Sports Festival.
In a statement signed by its president, Prof. Oluwaseun Omotayo, the association remarked that it received with shock the news of the fatal motor accident that claimed the lives of the 22 Kano State athletes.
“The purpose of this message is to express deepest condolences to the families and loved ones affected by the tragic accident.
“Africa Sports Management Association (ASMA) leadership commiserate with the National Sports Commission, the Main Organising Committee (MOC), Kano State Governor and the Kano State Sports Commission, Ogun State Governor and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) and the entire Nigerian sports community “, the statement concluded.
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The Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the just concluded 22nd National Sports Festival, tagged Gateway Games 2024, has expressed condolences to the Kano State Government. They expressed sympathy for the tragic incident involving members of the Kano State contingent. These members were returning home after participating in the National Sports Festival held in Ogun State.
A bus conveying the athletes was said to have been involved in a crash at the Dakatsalle Bridge in the Kura Local Government area of Kano State after passing Kaduna state, claiming the lives of 21 athletes.
The Executive Secretary of the LOC, Dr Kweku A. Tandoh, remarked: “We are saddened by this incident, particularly with the death of these young people, budding stars who had a lot to give the country with their talent, skills, and creativity in sports.
“Words cannot adequately express the sorrow the LOC feels at this loss.
“We offer our deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathy to the families of the departed ones, and we pray that God will comfort the families.
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Ogun State Governor, and chief host of the just concluded Gateway Games, Prince Dapo Abiodun has expressed deep sorrow over the tragic ancident involving members of the Kano State contingent who were returning home after participating in the 22nd edition of the National Sports Festival (NSF) held in Ogun State.
A bus conveying the athletes crashed about 50 kilometres from Kano. It had passed through Kaduna State. The crash claimed the lives of 20 athletes.
Abiodun, in a statement issued in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on Saturday, said the incident had left him completely traumatized.
The athletes were vibrant young people. They were looking forward to a warm reception from their fans and families. The athletes had proudly donned the colours of Kano State at the just-concluded Gateway Games 2024. They had a bright future ahead of them.
Abiodun expressed condolences to the government and people of Kano State over the incident. He prayed for the repose of the souls of the athletes.
He stated that they were heroes whose patriotism and commitment to the cause of Kano State will never be forgotten. Their dedication to Nigeria as a whole will also be forever remembered.
He said: “It is indeed saddening and distressing. Twenty gallant athletes who had represented Kano State at the just concluded Gateway 2024 games have lost their lives. The circumstances are most traumatising and painful.
“This is so painful. These were young people, budding stars who had a lot to give the country with their talents, skills, and creativity.
“In particular, it is tragic that their beloved family members, who were looking forward to receiving them after a memorable outing at the National Sports Festival, will never get to see their beautiful faces again.
“Our prayers and thoughts are with their families and friends at this terrible hour.
“Having represented Kano with pride and distinction and made friends with their compatriots from across the 36 states, the athletes were heading home with joy, only for their lives to be cut short just before setting foot on Kano soil.
“We are deeply saddened by this incident, and we pray that Almighty Allah grants them eternal rest.
“I commiserate with His Excellency, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, and his cabinet, the Chairman of the Kano State Sports Commission, Umar Bala Fagge, and the people of Kano State over this most tragic and unfortunate incident.
“May we never witness this kind of incident again.”
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