Sports Minister, PTF to Decide on National Sports Festival

Sports Minister, PTF to Decide on National Sports Festival

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The postponed Edo 2020 National Sports Festival earlier scheduled to hold last March in Benin City may still take place this year.

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, has said that he is committed to ensuring that sporting activities resume in the country as soon as the figures of persons contracting the Covid-19 pandemic drop to a manageable level.

Already, plans have been concluded for a meeting between officials of the Federal Ministry of Sports and the Presidential Task Force to discuss the possibilities of reopening the space for sports to return from lockdown since March.

Speaking on Sports This Morning on Channels Television on Monday, the Minister said: “We have submitted our sports protocol to the PTF but we shall be properly guided.

“So very soon, we plan to meet with the PTF to work out the modalities for the resumption of sports in Nigeria,” observed the minister.

Dare remains hopeful that the postponed National Sports Festival holds this year.

“There is a possibility that the postponed Edo 2020 National Sports Festival could still take place this year.

The Minister further disclosed that “there are plans to have 20 athletes resume training at the High Performance Centre in Port Harcourt to begin preparations for the Olympics moved to take place next year.

“This is to enable the athletes begin to get back in shape after months of inactivity as a result of the Covid-19 lockdown.

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