Athletics’ entries ahead of others
Technical Committee Co-Chairman of the Niger Delta
Sports Festival (NDSF), Enefiok Udo-Obong has announced that the registration
portal would be closed on February 28 as he urged State Liaison Committees to
double their efforts at facilitating registration of athletes in their
respective states. He hinted that there will be a reward for the state with
highest entries.
Udo-Obong spoke in a virtual review meeting of the
Technical/Facilities Committee and the States Liaison members.
He also seized the opportunity to remind them of the
eligibility rules, emphasising that, “the only eligibility criteria are being
an indigene of a Niger Delta Development Commission state and being under 25
years of age”.
He disclosed that an exception to the age cap rule is
for football and boxing where professionals and League players are not
qualified to register.
“We excluded the Para Sports from the age cap, there
is no age limit in those
sports. But Olympians who are under 25 years are
eligible to participate”.
A cursory check on the registration data shows that
more entries have been received for athletics, followed by football and Para
athletics.
On a state by state registration scale, Delta State is
ahead of the rest and are trailed by Ondo, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Edo states.
The Australia 2000 Olympics gold medalist in the
4x400m relay disclosed that he has secured the confidence of the Main
Organising Committee (MOC) Co-Chairman, Itiako Ikpokpo for a reward to the top
three states in the registration ladder.
The NDSF is the very first regional sports festival in
the country and will hold in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State from April 1-9. The festival
is sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for athletes
indigenous to the nine mandate states of the Commission.
Over 3000 athletes are expected to participate in 17
select sports.
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