Youth Games closing ceremony, Eagles match won’t clash, says LOC

Team Delta battles Lagos, Edo on medals table

The Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the ongoing 9th National Youth Games in Asaba has assured that there will be no clash between the Games’ closing ceremony and the Super Eagles World Cup qualifier against Rwanda on Saturday.

The closing ceremony of the NYG was originally scheduled for Sunday (September 7), but it has been moved backward to Saturday (September 6).

A member of the LOC, Festus Ohwojero, told The Guardian that holding the ceremony on Sunday would lead to incurring more expenses, including accommodation, feeding and other logistics.

“From the schedule of events, all competitions will end on Saturday. Both the LOC and the National Sports Commission (NSC) have resolved to stage the closing ceremony by 2pm on Saturday so that top officials of the NSC can proceed on private jet to Uyo to support the Super Eagles in the World Cup qualifier against Rwanda.

“Holding the closing ceremony of the NYG on Sunday will mean incurring extra expenses, and the NSC is not ready to shoulder it. For instance, if the closing ceremony should hold on Sunday, it means departure will be on Monday, and athletes and officials going to the east and those that will pass through Onitsha won’t be able to do so because of sit-at-home in the entire southeast. It means they can only depart Asaba on Tuesday, and that will amount to huge expenses. But as I said, the closing ceremony won’t clash with Super Eagles match,” Ohwojero explained yesterday.

Meanwhile, defending champion Team Delta is gradually climbing up in the medals table after falling to the fourth position on Day three of the Games.

As at Wednesday afternoon, Team Lagos and Edo were still leading the medals table with 30 gold and 23 gold medals respectively. Team Delta, with 19 gold medals, was in third position, but the state is still hopeful of turning the tide against Lagos and Edo before the end of competitions on Saturday.

While Lagos dominated the swimming events, Team Edo captured nine gold medals in weightlifting and eight in gymnastics. Delta is dominating in track and field events, which started on Tuesday.