Godwin Dudu-Orumen, Chairman, Edo Sports Commission, said in Benin on Monday that 700 athletes would represent the state at the 19th National Sports Festival scheduled to hold in the state from Dec. 3 to Dec. 17.
The sporting fiesta tagged “Edo 2020’’ was earlier scheduled to hold between March 22 and April 1, but was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dudu-Orumen told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Edo would compete in all the sporting events listed for the festival so as to top the medals table and also to groom the state’s athletes for future tournaments.
“The technical head of the athletes, Brown Ebewele, is working round-the-clock to ensure that athletes are all in perfect conditions for the sporting fiesta.
“The COVID-19 lockdown affected so many things. We have to re-assess the athletes ahead of the games and examine how best to get “Team Edo’’ ready for festival,’’ he said.
He said the state already prepared infrastructures and facilities to ensure its readiness to host the country.
“The state government has remodelled the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium as part of preparation for the festival.
“Also, 17 other centres across the state have been earmarked to host various sporting activities,’’ he said.
Dudu-Orumen also told NAN that the Local Organising Committee, under the headship of the deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, had been meeting to fine-tune arrangements for the festival.
Before the postponement, 11, 500 athletes from the 36 states of the federation and the FCT were to feature in a total of 39 sporting events. (NAN)
