The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar, says the use of technology will be deployed in the verification of athletes for the forthcoming National Youth Games to be staged in Delta State, this September.
Alhaji Abubakar stated this at the 7th National Youth Games Joint Technical Committee meeting, held in Asaba.
According to reports, members of the committee also inspected facilities and hostel accommodations for athletes during the visit.
The host and Chairman of Delta State Sports Commission, Chief Tonobok Okowa, assured members of the joint committee that the state was ready to host befitting youth games, stressing facilities used in hosting the recent sports festival in the state would be made available for the games.
He said, “The MOU was signed between the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and Delta State Government to host the next four editions of the Youth Game.
“Come September 7th to the 17th, it will be happening here live in Delta State.”
Abubakar urged the state’s sports commissions to present athletes within the age bracket of 15, for the under-15 games.
Abubakar represented by the Director of Federations and Elite Athletes Department, Dr. Simon Ebhojiaye, noted that the ministry would be partnering with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), in addition to the deployment of the biometric system, to verify the ages of athletes participating at the youth games.
Alhaji Abubakar stressed; “In order to check that states don’t bring athletes that are above 15, we are going to be using technology, and we are going to be using an institutional framework to sieve out those (age cheaters).
“So, if you have not registered with the National Identity Management Commission, then you can’t participate in the games.”
The participants discussed and made recommendations regarding their visit to the sports facilities, the athletes’ village and hostels, including the need for a unified screening process, security and welfare of participating athletes.
The General Managers of Sports Commissions, Secretaries of Sports Federations and State Directors of Sports participated at the 7th National Youth Games Joint Technical Committee meeting.
