© Copyright – 2020 – Athletics Illustrated
The chairman of the Ekiti State Sports Council in Nigeria, Dr. Isaac Ayodele, was asked to step down on Friday. Commissioner Michael Awopetu, made the recommendation in a letter. There is a disagreement between the two in regards to how the preparations are being handled in advance of the Nigerian National Sports Festival.
Awopetu didn’t agree with how Ayodele was managing athlete preparation.
Ayodele has said, “the state would put all necessary machinery in place to make sure that the athletes are well-prepared for the National Sports Festival scheduled for Edo State.”
And that all athletes should continue training even though social distancing protocals due to the coronavirus pandemic may prevent the festival from happening.
However, it was revealed that athletes and officials were to have a meeting in preparation for the festival at the state Sports complex. The commissioner assumed they were going to discuss a protest to embarrass his office for withholding over 15 million nairas ($400,000 USD) meant for the preparation of athletes and officials for the festival. He then allegedly informed the state chief security officer.
More to come from this.
The National Sports Festival is a biennial multi-sport event organised by the Federal Government in cooperation with the National Sports Commission for athletes from the 36 States of Nigeria.
Started in 1973 at the National Stadium, Surulere in Lagos, the games were originally conceived to promote peace and cross-cultural affiliation after the Nigerian Civil War in 1970. The games also serve as a development and training event to aid athletes to prepare for international competition.
