SPORTS
We are Going to Adopt New Measures to Fight Age Cheats — Dare
The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, has said that the ministry will adopt more scientific and digital means of identifying age cheats at the National Youth Games in future and mete out appropriate stiff penalties to the offending athletes and states.
The Minister said this on Tuesday, in Ilorin, while declaring close the 6th National Youth Games (NYG).
“We will consider the NIMC registration as a requirement going forward.
There will be a need for all athletes to have NIMC registration before they can participate henceforth.“As this database will now require one to input their national identity number before the athlete can be registered successfully.
“This measure is needed to avoid losing out on a possible potential medalist being screened out as over aged while they are not”, the minister said.
Dare said this approach will in turn prevent the over aged athletes to be easily identified and screened out in order not to deny qualified athletes a future in their chosen sports.
He described the games as an awesome time of competition, bonding, making friends, building intimacy and developing healthy rivalries, Nigeria’s best young talents were brought together under a platform to do what they love the most.
Dare explained that medals may have been won and lost but the reality is that every young talent represented here was a winner, whether they had a medal around their necks or not.
“This edition of the National Youth Games has been an eye opener to all, as we saw the abundance of talents and potentials in our beloved country.
“Let me highlight the youngest athletes at these games, 9-year-old Gift Torhile from the FCT and 10-year old Wilson Bright from Delta.
“Some of the outstanding gymnasts like Obiefuna Munachi, the 13-year old from FCT and Mustapha Oriyomi, another 13-year old from Delta.
“Then the amazing talents in weightlifting, like Florence Olarinoye from Lagos, Victory Okundia from Edo and Marvelous Chidirim from FCT “, Dare said.
The Minister said he wont fail to recognise Akinwowon Oladeji from Lagos, a deaf boy who won the 100m, 200m and 400m, describing him as a special lad.
The stated that the talents and many more were yet to be identified will be properly groomed and prepared for the African Youth Games in Ethiopia in 2022, as well as the Youth Olympics in Dakar, Senegal.
“As a Ministry, what we have seen here in the last few days has reinforced our belief that every effort put into grassroots sports development is a worthy investment and not a waste.
“Since its first edition held in 2013, the National Youth Games has grown in leaps and bounds. This year 35 States participated in 34 sports.
“This is a crucial step in the initiatives adopted by the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, to identify these talents early, give them the technical and financial support, provide them guidance and see them become world beaters in the not too distant future” the minister said.
Age cheats were prevalent in the 6th edition of the games.
Also speaking at the closing ceremony, the Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Prof. Age Abdulkareem represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research, Mikhail Buhari, thanked the Federal Government for the opportunity to host the rest of Nigeria.
He said the institution was willing to continue hosting the Games as it had helped in improving the sporting facilities in the school.
Abdulkareem, however, appealed to the sports minister to fulfil his promise of building an Olympic sized swimming pool in the institution, among other facilities, saying that the institution had become the home of sports among its peers. (NAN)
The finals of Gov. Peter Mbah Secondary Schools Games, on Thursday began in Enugu with the arrival and accreditation of athletes at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium Enugu.
Dan Onwuegbuna, Director, Information, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Enugu State, said in a statement on Thursday that the games would be held between Aug.
7 and Aug. 10 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium and the Enugu State Sports Council.“The games is designed to help the state discover talents to represent the state at the forthcoming U15 National Youth Games scheduled to take place in Asaba, Delta, from Aug. 26 to Sept. 6,” he stated.
Onwuegbuna said that apart from representing the state at the Youth Games in Asaba, talented athletes discovered would represent the state in other competitions.
He quoted the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Lloyd Ekweremadu as thanking Gov. Peter Mbah for approving the games.
Onwuegbuna said that the games was made possible following the collaboration between the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the state Post Primary Schools Management Board (PPSMB).
The games finals followed the outcome of the inter- Secondary Schools competitions held at the local government areas in the six Educational Zones in the State – Enugu, Agbani, Awgu, Udi, Nsukka and Udenu.
“The games will feature athletics, boxing, chess, basketball, volleyball, football, tennis and scrabble,” Onwuegbuna stated.
Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie has been nominated for the 2025 Women’s Yachine Trophy, the Ballon d’Or award for the best female goalkeeper.
The 24-year-old recently joined Brighton Women FC from Paris FC after helping the French side win their first major title in nearly two decades.
Nnadozie delivered a heroic performance in the final of the 2025 Coupe de France Féminine, where Paris FC edged Paris Saint-Germain 5-4 on penalties following a goalless draw at Stade de l’Épopée in Calais.She was also instrumental in Nigeria’s success at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), where the Super Falcons secured a record-extending 10th continental crown against host nation, Morocco.
Her standout displays earned her the Best Goalkeeper award and a place in the Team of the Tournament.
Other nominees for the Yachine Trophy include Ann-Katrin Berger (Gotham FC), Cata Coll (Barcelona Femeni), Hannah Hampton (Chelsea Women) and Daphne van Domselaar (Arsenal Women).
Nigeria’s Super Falcons maintained 36th position in the latest FIFA women’s world ranking.
The latest ranking was released on FIFA’s official website yesterday.
While the Super Falcons remain the number one team in Africa, WAFCON 2024 runners-up Morocco are third on the continent and dropped to 64th spot in the world.
Former WAFCON champions Banyana Banyana of South Africa maintained 54th place in the world and second in Africa.
Ghana’s Black Queens who claimed third place at the WAFCON dropped to 67th position in the global ranking.
The Super Falcons recently won their 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after coming from 2-0 down to beat hosts Morocco 3-2 in the final.
Second half goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi and substitute Jennifer Echegini completed the turnaround.
Okoronkwo, scored a goal and provided two assists against the Moroccans was Named Player of the Match.
Chiamaka Nnadozie was named Goalkeeper of the Tournament while Captain Rasheedat Ajibade won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
Meanwhile, World champions Spain (1st, up 1) had an impressive run to the final of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 with five back-to-back wins, which was enough to see them reclaim top spot in the ranking, a position they previously held from December 2023 to June 2024.
The USA (2nd, down 1) have therefore been knocked off their perch, which they had occupied since August 2024.
However, three convincing home wins in friendlies during this period have kept the USA in contention, and they are now sitting less than two points behind Spain.
The top 10 has been shaken up completely since the June edition of the ranking, with France (6th, up 4) performing best among them.
France completed a flawless group stage at the European Championship before falling to Germany in the quarter-finals.
The next edition of the Women’s World Ranking will be published on 11 December 2025.
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