The Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development with approval from the President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari is postponing the National Sports Festival (NSF) tagged ‘Edo2020’ initially billed to hold from March 22nd to April 1st.
In a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Gabriel Aduda, on Tuesday, March 17th, President Buhari approved the postponement of Edo2020 as a precautionary move against the Coronavirus’COVID-19’.
Part of the statement reads: “This decision followed the close monitoring and updates on COVID-19 in Nigeria and across the world, and consultations with the Federal Ministry of Health and the host state of the 20th National Sports Festival – the Edo State Government.
“The Ministry however notes the progress made towards delivering a world class sporting fiesta as embodied by Edo 2020 and the huge resources so far expended towards provision of world class facilities for hosting the festival by the Edo state government.
“Even though the COVID-19 pandemic is not presently affecting Nigeria on the scale it is ravaging other countries of the world, the Ministry is however in agreement with these aforementioned critical stakeholders that the wellbeing of our athletes and sports loving Nigerians is of paramount importance.
“It is in the interest of the safety of Nigerians therefore that the Ministry has therefore postponed the National Sports Festival, Edo 2020, until a later date to be communicated shortly.”
Over 11,000 athletes across the federation had been registered to represent their different states at the biennial Games.
