Edo 2020 Is The Worst Organised Sports Festival In Nigeria - SWAN

  Edo 2020 Is The Worst Organised Sports Festival In Nigeria - SWAN By Niyi Busari The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has described the just-concluded 20th National Sports Festival in Edo as the worst managed in the history of Nigeria BSNSports.com.ng reports, This is made known through a communique released by the national body at the end of the National Convention during the Games in Edo, presided over by the president, Honour Sirawoo. The national body, however, appreciated the Edo State Government for putting in place world class sporting infrastructure but decried poor welfare package for media, break in communication between media and the Ministry of Sports and lack of tools with which to enhance reportage at the Games. It also decried poor officiating and alleged financial inducement of officials by some states and urges sports Federations to ensure that it engages men of proven integrity as technical officials in future National Sports Festival. The body noted that Edo 2020 is the worst managed National Sports Festival ever in the history of Nigeria and vowed not to attend future National Sports Festival if sports writers are not properly placed in the scheme of events. The communique reads in part, "Note that development is anchored on tripod of Administration, participation, and promotion and therefore decries lack of tools to enhance effective media coverage during the 20th National Sports Festival, just as it knocks the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development under Sunday Dare for clear show of disrespect for Sports Media. "Agree unequivocally that apart from the provision of world class infrastructure, Edo 2020 is the worst managed National Sports Festival ever organised in the history of Nigeria. We vow to boycott future festival if sports writers as stakeholders are not properly placed in the scheme of events." Sports journalists who described the just-concluded 20th National Sports Festival as the worst blamed it on the Ministry of Sports saying they never came to address them on many issues even when the Local Organizing Committee threatened to shut down the competition. The LOC on their side addressed the media at the Media Centre inside the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium while the Ministry of Sports shunned the media while holding its media conference in a hotel in Edo State. "The Ministry of Sports never addressed the media even when we were not sure whether or not Edo State will host the Games 48 hours before the commencement. Also, during the Championship they never met with media to clear the air on why and whether or not the Games will continue as against the LOC stand." Aggrieved journalists in Edo during the Sports Festival said.