Osun government approves 28 games for state sports festival

Osun government has approved 28 different games for competition at the proposed Osun Sports Festival expected to hold in August, an official said on Wednesday.

Funmilayo Moradeyo, Osun Sports Council’s Chief Public Relations Officer, disclosed in a statement that the state’s Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Yemi Lawal, gave the approval.

“Twenty-eight different sports have been approved for the sports fiesta which will have competitors from all areas of the state,’’ she said.

Moradeyo listed the approved sports to include football, volleyball, basketball, handball, hockey, cricket, table tennis, chess, Ayo, draught, scrabble, boxing, taekwondo and kick-boxing.

“Others are para-powerlifting, kung fu, karate, judo, golf, wrestling, swimming, athletics, badminton, squash, cycling, para-athletics, tennis and weightlifting.’’

She disclosed that the commissioner approved the games for the festival on Tuesday during a meeting held with the State Sports Council staff, coaches and Local Government Area Sports Coordinators.

Moradeyo said the age range of athletes allowed to feature in the sports festival was also put at between 15 and 29.

She explained that this was because the festival was aimed at developing sports at the grassroots in the state.

“The commissioner said when the youths are encouraged, they will surely win medals for the state and he has therefore promised scholarship and state employment for the most-talented and hard-working athletes during the festival,’’ the Osun Sports Council official said.

Newsmen reports that Lawal had in May disclosed that the state government would be organising a sports festival in August.

Lawal, while disclosing this during the “Stakeholders Forum’’ held by the Osun chapter of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), said it was a way of promoting sports at the grassroots.