Athletes and official s expected at the forthcoming National Sports Festival in Benin City, the Edo State capital, must have taken the COVID-19 vaccination .
The multi-sports fiesta has been fixed for April 2 to 14 after several postponements due to the COVID-19. But following the meeting between the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports Development and the Edo State Government, it was agreed that participants must take the COVID-19 vaccine at least 12 days In the statement signed by the Chairman, Local Organising Committee (LOC and Edo Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, all athletes and officials from the 35 states and the FCT, participating in the National Sports Festival must take COVID-19 tests 72 hours before arrival for the tournament.
With the Games Village expected to open on April 2, athletes and officials are to present certificates and documentation of COVID-19 tests and vaccination before they can be admitted.
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Officials of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) are expected to arrive Benin City four days to the commencement of the festival, to monitor compliance with COVID-19 guidelines, while all the non-pharmaceutical measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 will be provided for by the state government at various venues and camps.
Meanwhile, the number of athletes for the event has been pruned to 8,000 from 14,000 while the torch of unity will arrive in Edo State on April 3.
The torch is expected to tour the 18 local governments of the state before berthing at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium on April 6 where Governor Godwin Obaseki will light it up for the games.
“This season we actually only played with three players, next season it will be completely different. With Cassin we are much more flexible. He will also really heat up the internal competition.
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