Five-time world champions Golden Eaglets have zoomed into the semifinals of the football event of the 22^nd National Sports Festival ongoing in Ogun State.

Abdulmuiz Adeleke, who netted the first goal in the 2-1 win over Edo State on Monday, came up big with a brace against Ebonyi State in Friday morning’s quarter-final encounter, which the Eaglets won 5-0 to sail into the last four.

Mohammed Imrana, scorer of the second goal against Edo State, was also among the goals, though he was unlucky to bag a red card in the closing minutes of the encounter. Destiny Samuel and Emmanuel Ochigbo were the other scorers.

On Thursday, the Flamingos drew 0-0 with Lagos State. They lead their group B with five points, ahead of Friday evening’s final group stage clash with Enugu State, who are pointless.

Delta and Lagos State are fast on the Flamingos’ heels with four points each.

Osun State leads the four-team group A with seven points, with Ogun and Edo States on five and four points respectively.

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Traditional leaders, Delta State, have narrowed the lead by Bayelsa State on the medals table as the Games of the 22nd National Sports Festival enter the fifth day.

With 31 gold, 11 silver and 28 bronze medals, totalling 70, the highest so far, Delta State are at the brink of overtaking Bayelsa State at the top.

Nigeria’s most southern state has recorded 32 gold, 14 silver and 15 bronze, totalling 61, to maintain a slim leadership as they are just a gold medal ahead of Delta State.  

Their neighbours, Rivers State are a distant third having amassed 15 gold, 11 silver and 11 bronze, totalling 37 medals. In essence, the powerhouse of Nigerian sports still remains in the contagious Niger delta region.

Hosts, Ogun State, are gradually swimming up to the top ranks having climbed to the fourth position. They have won 10 gold, 12 silver and 16 bronze medals, even as they are being trailed by one of their neighbours, Oyo State who are fifth.

One of the traditional powerhouses of the festival, Lagos State are yet to find their rhythm, as they were sixth as at close of events on Thursday.

Follow the live medals table here.  

To align Nigeria with global standards in sports management and athlete performance analytics, stakeholders at the two-day Scientific Congress, held during the 22nd National Sports Festival, tagged Gateway Games 2024, have emphasised the need for the deployment of innovative technology.

The Scientific Congress, themed “Strategies for the Development of a Viable Sports Economy in Nigeria: Merging Market Dynamics with Sports Medicine Excellence,” was successfully convened by the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS).

It brought together key stakeholders, including sports practitioners, policymakers, medical professionals, scholars, and athletes, to strategically integrate sports management and medical innovations to advance the Nigerian sports sector.

In the communique issued and signed by the President of the Nigeria Association of Sports Medicine (NASMED), Dr. Olajide Joseph Adebola, several key recommendations were outlined. These include the strengthening of public-private partnerships, incentivizing corporate involvement in sports development, and the adoption of innovative technology for sports event management and athlete performance analytics.

The Congress also called for a comprehensive review and reinforcement of the national sports regulatory framework, with greater investment in specialized sports medicine research, professional training, and healthcare infrastructure emphasized as crucial to sustaining athlete performance and safety.

To combat doping, stakeholders recommended the immediate implementation of comprehensive safeguarding and anti-doping policies aligned with international standards. Additionally, they advocated for the establishment of dedicated rehabilitation centres that offer holistic care, including psychological support and advanced medical services, and the development of robust sports injury insurance policies to provide both financial and medical support for athletes.

The Congress further urged NIPSS to convene a high-level stakeholder forum focused on sports, economic opportunities, and job creation for Nigerian youth, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope reform agenda.

Highlights from the event included the call for innovative financial models, the exploration of digital media, consumer behaviour analytics, and sponsorship innovations. The Congress emphasized the importance of creating favourable policies to attract private sector investments and adopting a structured approach to sports commercialization.

Recommendations also included leveraging technology-driven solutions for logistics and event management to elevate the quality and global competitiveness of Nigeria’s national sports events.

Emphasis was placed on individualized injury prevention strategies, psychological support systems, and effective rehabilitation programs. The establishment of specialized athlete rehabilitation centres focusing on both physical and mental recovery was also proposed.

The Congress acknowledged the valuable support of NIPSS and the Oba Sikiru Adetona School of Governance, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State.

Stakeholders pledged a firm commitment to the collaborative implementation of the outlined strategies. It was unanimously agreed that these efforts would significantly contribute to building a robust, economically vibrant, and ethically sound sports environment in Nigeria, enhancing the nation’s reputation on the international stage.

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