Anambra School Sports Festival : Commission Warns Against Age falsification
Chinwe Onuigbo, Awka
The Anambra Sports Development Commission has called on principals and headteachers of schools to adhere strictly to the rules of the festival, including age limits and avoid creating bad image for themselves.
This call was by the chairman of the commission, Patrick-Estate Onyedum, on Monday ahead of the state finals of the 2023 Anambra School Sports Festival scheduled for between June 21 and June 24 in Awka.
Recall that the festival was grouped into U13 and U17 categories for students between primary five and senior secondary school two.
He said the school sports festival was a developmental programme geared towards repositioning Anambra as sports hub of Nigeria through discovering budding talents for mentorship.
He urged schools which qualified for the finals to ensure their athletes were their students who fit within the age ranges as defaulting would not only be disqualified but the named.
The Chairman commended them for their cooperation and commitment to the success of the festival since it commenced on May 17 while urging them to sustain the tempo till the end.
According to Onyedum, we are set for the state finals due to start by Wednesday, i want to congratulate all the finalists and also encourage them to do their schools, their local government areas and the entire state proud.
“However, I want to remind school principals and headteachers to warn their game masters to adhere to the rules, they should resist the temptations of presenting overage athletes.
“Any school with proven case of age cheat will be exposed, this festival is a long term development programme, so the Sports Commission is discouraging the ‘must win mentality’ exhibited by some schools, that is what is responsible for age cheat,” he said.
Onyedum said all was set for the final which would take place at GTC and Paul University football pitch, Alex Ekwueme Square, City Sports Club Amawbia, Marble Arch Hotel and Awka Township Studium.
He called on lovers from across Anambra to go to the venues enmass and cheer the future Champions as they displayed raw and exceptional talents.
The Chairman appreciated Gov. Chukwuma Soludo for approving and supporting the school sports festival which he said had been muribond for more than a decade.
