Nigeria Minister of Sports and Youth Development Mr Sunday Dare is optimistic that the Edo 2020 National Sports festival could still hold this year.
The National Sports Festival which was earlier scheduled to hold in April was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Mr Dare while speaking on Channels TV Sports This morning and monitored by Africa Top Sports said sporting activities will soon return to Nigeria.
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He revealed that the Ministry has concluded to meet with the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 to explore all other means of resuming sports in the country.
The Minister revealed that plans are in place for 20 athletes resume training at the High Performance Centre in Port Harcourt in preparations for the Olympics.
Also, the Sports Minister talked about the plans of the Federal Government to revive the moribund National Stadium in Surulere Lagos.
“We have submitted our Sports protocol to the PTF, but we shall be properly guided.
“So very soon we plan to meet with them to work out the modalities for the resumption of Sporting activities .
“There is a possibility that the Postponed Edo 2020 Sports Festival could still take place this year.”
“There are plans to have 20 athletes resume training at the High Performance Centre in Port Harcourt in preparations for the Olympics.
This is to enable them get into shape due to long months of inactivity as a result of the lockdown due to covid-19. ”
On returning the National Stadium Surulere to it’s original plans, he said efforts is in too gear to achieve that.
“We intend to return the National Stadium, Surulere to its original blueprint.
“We intend to make sure that every illegal structure that has been put in place that is not part of the blueprint will be removed.
“We are also looking at Adopt a Sports Centre and a Pitch.
“We have approached Chief Kessington Adebutu who has agreed to make available half a billion naira to start fixing some of the key facilities in the stadium.
“I think that will help because that can open a slight window to make some of the facilities in Surulere to be functional,” he said.