The Federal Government has pledged support for the first-ever Nestle-Milo National Youth Games slated for December 5th-15th, even as Senate President David Mark unveiled the logo and mascot.
The youth games aimed at providing a qualitative and sustainable mechanism for early athletes’ discovery.
Unveiling the Mascot in Abuja, Mark noted that all hands must be on desk to drive sports to the place it deserve stressing that sports is only binds that join the Nigeria together.
He said:” Federal Government is fully behind the youth games and it is important to begins talent hunt as early as possible to catch them young so as to match their mate at any international level
“Let not play politics with the game but allow those that can make this country proud, we should forget religious, ethnicity tribalism but allow those that can make us proud for the youth empowerment and sport development in the country”
Speaking further Mark said it was an embarrassment for Nigeria at the last olympic games when country was unable to win a single medal stressing that in order not to hide our head in the next olympic in Brazil there is need to bring integrity to our sporting activities
While urging the state governor to encourage talent hunts in their various states fot the empowerment and sport development in the country.
In his remarks, Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi said National Youth Games is a platform designed by the National Sports Commission to encourage youth participation in sports.
He said the maiden edition of the game would feature no fewer than 15 games with over 60 sporting events sporting activities, comprising: Boxing, Badminton, Handball, Squash, Taekwondo, Track and Field, Weightlifting, Basketball, Football, Para-Power lifting, Table Tennis, Tennis, Volleyball and Wrestling.
Contestants and other participants to feature at the games are expected from the thirty six states of the federation, including Abuja who are under the age of seventeen years.
“To encourage the sustainability of the game no medal will be awarded to the athletes because the games is to discover talent while certificate of participation will be awarded to the best athletes”
In his address, the Director General of the National Sports Commission Gbenga Elegbeleye said that the National Youth games is drive by the present administration to groom the and establish a standard programme for athletes’ succession, curbing age cheats, enhancing cultural and educational development, and to promote national unity, among others
