NSF: 277-man contingents to represent Nasarawa in Delta state – Commissioner

 

The Nasarawa state government is sending a 277 man-strong contingent to the National Sports Festival (NSF) which will take place in Delta state next month, the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development Amb Lucky Isaac Yargwa has disclosed.

The contingent is made up of 277 athletes and several officials, including coaches and security agents. The state will features in 14 games that it has comparative advantage of winning medals.

Yargwa stated this during a media parley in Abuja, saying that the contingents are ready to do the state proud in the games.

“Our athletes are ready. Most of our athletes are in various camps scattered all over the country getting ready for the festival. Our outing in the last edition was not too good but this time we want to improve on our past performance in the game.

“We, recently organized a seminar for coaches and players over cheating and taking performance enhancing drugs. We have warned our athletes to shun all negative vices especially drugs. We have zero tolerance for cheating,” he said.

Yargwa further added that part of the preparation to boost the chances of the North central state to do well in the sports festival is recruitment of top quality athletes and coaches to represent the state. 

“We have disengaged some of our old athletes and coaches, those who are not productive to bring in new hands to bolster our chances in the games,” he said.

He commended the governor of the state, Engr Abduallahi Sule, for doing a titanic job in taking sports to greater heights in the state.

“His Excellency, Engr. Sule is transforming the face of sports in the state by taking many youths out of unemployment and giving them opportunity in the sports sector,” he said.

“The Lafia Stadium is being renovated by the governor. The contractor are on site and I can assure you that in the next few weeks the Stadium will be ready for use.”

Blueprint sports gathered that the state will compete in athletics, badminton, karate, judo, taekwondo, among others.

The National Sports Festival will hold in Asaba, Delta state from November 2 to 15.

Interestingly, the state is the defending champions in the games.