By Olusegun Folarin
The National Sports Festival tagged “Gateway Games” earlier slated for between 12th and 26th January, 2025 has been rescheduled for 16th to 30th May of the same year.
The rescheduling of the festival was contained in a communique jointly signed by the Director General National Sports Commission, Chief Bukola Olopade and the Commissioner for Sports Development, Mr Wasiu Isiaka.
Presenting the Communique to Journalists after the 1st Joint Technical meeting of the festival held in Abeokuta, the Secretary, Main Organising Committee, M.O.C, Mrs Thecla Opara said the shift in date for the festival was to allow the state government to effect the necessary recommendations noticed during the inspection of facilities at the proposed venues for the games.
Mrs Opara noted that the meeting also stressed the need for more synergy between members of the MOC Sub-committees/Liaison Officers and relevant Local Organising Committee, LOC Sub-Committees.
She announced that the meeting agreed that athletes discovered from the National Youth Games in some selected sports would be invited to participate in the National Sports Festival as Invited Junior Athletes which is part of the grand plan to nurture them to excel in their sport and develop as well-rounded individuals.
Speaking with Journalists, the Director-General, National Sports Commission, NSC, Chief Olopade explained that the shift in date of the National Sports was to allow the newly created National Sports Commission to settle down and create a sustainable sports economy.
He maintained said the rescheduling was strategically done to create an ecosystem of economic sustainability as mandated by President Bola Tinubu.
In a remark, the Commissioner for Sports Development in Ogun State, Mr Isiaka expressed satisfaction with the decision of the Technical Committee.
Mr Isiaka maintained that the shift in date would allow the state government to further expand the ecosystem of organizing the best National Sports Festival that would be a reference point in the near future.
The 1st Joint Technical Meeting for the National Sports Festival has the 37 Directors of Sports, 37 Technical Directors, all Secretaries of Sports federations, and Main Organizing Committee and Local Organizing Committee in attendance.
