Adebayo Adenrele
The Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh, has warned against age cheating in the ongoing National Youth Games.
The minister reiterating that the Games were intended for athletes of 15 years and below.
Enoh, who underlined the importance of safeguarding the integrity of the games by rigorously adhering to the age restriction, urged for participating states in the games to embrace the spirit of fair play and sportsmanship.
He exhorted onlookers and supporters to back the young athletes who compete on behalf of their states.
This was said in a statement made available to journalists on Thursday by Diana-Mary Nsan, the minister’s Special Adviser for Media.
According to the announcement, the minister officially opened the National Youth Games at Asaba, the capital of Delta State, on Thursday at Stephen Keshi Stadium.
The statement continues, “As the name of the Games suggests, only young people are eligible to compete. We are dedicated to giving young athletes a stage on which to display their abilities in an impartial and open setting.
“It is the technical team’s responsibility to make sure that only competitors who are at least 15 years old compete.
“We will take firm measures to prevent age cheating, as it undermines the purpose of these Games,” stated Enoh. This year’s event is being hosted by Delta State, and everything is ready for an amazing celebration of young athletes and sportsmanship”.
The National Youth Games have grown into a major event on the national sports calendar, providing young athletes with the opportunity to participate at the national level and improve their abilities.
The NYG are also critical to Nigeria’s talent identification and development plan, as they serve to groom the country’s future generation of sporting stars.
The opening ceremony promises to be a big spectacle, with various dignitaries and sports stakeholders set to attend in celebration of Nigerian sports’ future success.