Young athletes across the states of the federation were actually rooting for the best of event. They were really eager to once again experience the warmth and memorable experience that could be described as a once a life time opportunity.
That the 2020 edition of the games couldn’t hold due to Covid-19 pandemic, hope and expectations were really high and many expected the organizers to have mobilised all the resources needed to deliver the realities of the Nigeria ‘youths- national sports festival’.
From an haphazard organization to administrative iniquities and technical deficiencies; it’s logical to say that this event has really fall short of all the reasonable standards as at the time of filing this report.
Having started on an unusual note with issue bordering on accommodation making the headline, the opening ceremony of the game was postponed from Wednesday to Friday- with organisers claiming it was an ‘extension’ meant to allow state arrive the games village in full.
Screening of the athletes was also one of the controversies that has enveloped the game. The Secretariat of the game would eventually had to deal with plethora of appeal letters written by States who felt shortchanged in the process of the screening. Alas!
Saturday was perhaps circumstantially the official third day of the event and the organizers are yet to provide the medals table, even as some events has already been completed with winners already emerged.
The relative unavailability of basic needs such as electricity particularly on the third day has also shadowed the reality of the event in its totality.
Ayoola Adeleke is one of the Journalist accredited to cover the game. He noted the hostile nature of some officials to the press men making efforts to give the event the best of publicity.
“I think one of what should be added to subsequent games is proper orientation for officials of the games” says Ayoola.
He also added, “The manners at which they address the ‘fourth estate of the realm’ some times is disgusting. Some of them don’t have regards for the journalists covering this games”.
He stressed the extent of how difficult it has been in assessing information regarding results and fixtures of the game.
“They will tell you at times (sic) to leave the hall, at times they will tell you they can’t let you have access to fixtures and results- they are making our job difficult, but they can always do better” Adeleke quipped.
How best could one also define a situation where by medals are not properly presented to athletes- an instance was the situation of Gymnastic event which ended on Friday and medals sparsely given to athletes.
There is however an urgent need for a critical review of the authorities in charge of the game and it’s just logical that they are made to answer some basic questions.
No doubt, this multi-sports event has been serving as a veritable platform for sports development at the grassroots,much to that is the imperative need of the organizers to step up the modus operandi in terms of organisation and execution.
