Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development yesterday rescinded it’s decision to axe Para Sports from the 21st National Sports Festival.
The National Council on Sports in a virtual meeting held on Wednesday, October 19, 2022, reached the decision to remove Para Sports from the 21st National Sports Festival (NSF) to be hosted by Delta state.
According to a release signed by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Mohammed Manga, the ministry, after consultations with Stakeholders in Sports, relisted para sports to be competed for at the festival.
The following Para Sports to the National Sports Festival in Delta State includes Para Athletics, Para Table Tennis, Para Powerlifting and Deaf Sports of (Athletics and Table Tennis).
However, the ministry wishes to state that their events would be limited to where Nigeria has competitive advantages.
This decision was taken in the overall interest of Sports Development in Nigeria, as the National Sports Festival has become the flagship Games for the discovery, grooming and empowerment of our youth athletes in Nigeria.
The Ministry condemns the action of some misguided athletes who engaged in unwarranted acts of protests and blackmail without recourse to due process.
Para Athletes are therefore, advised to henceforth exhaust the channels of communication and processes laid down for airing grievances, rather than public disturbance.