21ST NATIONAL SPORTS FESTIVAL: Federal Ministry of Sports set up committee to review medal table

 

By Taofeek Babalola

The Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development on Sunday announced an independent committee made up of experts to do a further review of the Medal table at the recently concluded 21st National Sports Festival in Asaba, Delta State.

According to a release signed by Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar, the Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development received complaints about the Medal table at the recently concluded 21st National Sports Festival and as a way towards the resolution of the matter, the Ministry thereby, constituted a Committee made up of experts who had managed the Technical arm of previous Festivals in the past.

The Committee has Brig. Gen. Emmanuel Okaro as Chairman, Mrs. Hauwa-Kulu, Madaki Elias Gora as members while Lekan Alabi, the Statistician of the Ministry will be part of the Committee, as Secretary, while a representative of the Delta State Sports Commission will also serve as member.

The Committee is expected among other things to determine what went wrong with the Medal table computation from the stand point of knowledge and experience of previous festivals

They will also establish the exact and correct Medal table by ridding the table of any double entries and inaccuracies and make recommendations to guide against future occurrence.

The Committee has 7 days to complete its assignment.

The statement reads: “The Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development has received complaints about the Medal table at the recently concluded 21st National Sports Festival. After an initial review was done, the Ministry has decided to take a further step of setting up an independent Committee to immediately do a further review.

“This process is normal in situations such as this, in order to ascertain whatever the challenges were with the Festival Medal table computation. It is also normal to have them resolved even after the Festival.

“Towards the resolution of the matter, the Ministry hereby announces a Committee made up of experts who had managed the Technical arm of previous Festivals in the past.”

Team Delta was officially declared winner of the 21st National Sports Festival in Asaba. Delta won 320 gold, 200 silver and 128 bronze medals to edge 35 other states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to stay atop the Nigerian apex sports fiesta.