NYG: Umpire recommends preventive measures to curb age cheat

Fri, Sep 14, 2018 | By publisher


Sports

Ranti Lajide, an international table tennis umpire, on Friday tasked the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the annual National Youth Games (NYG) to verify athletes’ data ahead of subsequent editions.

Lajide told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the measure had become necessary to guard against the recurrence of age discrepancy among participating athletes.

NAN reports that no fewer than 500 athletes of various sports discipline were disqualified during the screening process of the 4th edition of the games currently holding in Ilorin.

The Games which began on Sept. 7 would be concluded on Sept. 17.

“The volume of disqualification recorded in this year’s edition is not a good story or a palatable experience for the affected athletes, it’s a big lapse on the part of the LOC of the game.

“Therefore, host of subsequent editions must ensure that it’s LOC start verification of athletes data early, to enable them do a thorough job and avoid embarrassing participants,’’ Lajide said.

He told NAN that such proactive steps should be taken to the athletes’ schools, vocational centres or at the point of their entry by their states.

According to him, such deliberate measure will go a long way to guide the LOC members in form of screening, with and without the knowledge of athletes and the associations they identified with.

The table tennis umpire added that photocopies of prospective athletes’ data from individuals must be requested and attached to their birthday certificates as part of requirement for participation in the games.

“The documents will be used by the committee to confirm the information filled by their state sports association, during the registration which they must defend at the last screening stage,” he added.

He, however, stressed that states must not fail to recognise the actual purpose of the NYG, as a grassroots developmental championships to identity and groom budding talents for international competitions.

Meanwhile, Are Ademola, Director, Grassroots Sports and Development of Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, told NAN that only athletes of 15 years and below are eligible to participate in the competition. (NAN)

– Sept. 14, 2018 @ 12:25 GMT |

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