NSC leadership tours zonal centres as National Sports Festival elimination kicks

NSC leadership tours zonal centres as National Sports Festival elimination kicks off

By Fly Cable News

The National Sports Commission (NSC) has commenced its zonal elimination phase for team sports ahead of the 22nd National Sports Festival, scheduled for May in Ogun State. With the competition heating up, NSC leadership is actively monitoring proceedings across various centres to ensure a seamless qualification process.

Zonal elimination matches are currently taking place in Ibadan, Benin, Enugu, Kaduna, Plateau, and Yobe, where states are vying for coveted spots in team sports, including football, volleyball, basketball, hockey, cricket, beach volleyball, abula, and handball.

To reinforce its commitment to a well-organized festival, the NSC Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, and the Director General, Hon. Bukola Olopade, have taken on supervisory roles at key centres. Dikko is overseeing activities at the Kaduna centre, while Olopade is stationed in Ibadan. Their presence underscores the leadership’s dedication to upholding global best practices in sports administration.

Speaking on the importance of the zonal eliminations, Dikko emphasized its significance in shaping the quality of competition at the main festival. “We are determined to do things differently, with a touch of global best practices. This is why we are taking the zonal eliminations very seriously,” he stated. Similarly, Olopade assured that the NSC has made necessary logistical arrangements through the Department of Sports Festival and Grassroots Development to facilitate a smooth qualification process.

“The Gateway Games in Ogun State will be one of the best-organized festivals in history. To achieve this, we must ensure the zonal eliminations are well-structured and efficiently run,” he said. The zonal eliminations mark a crucial step in the buildup to the National Sports Festival, as teams battle for a chance to represent their states at the prestigious event in May.