Edo 2020: SWAN Slams Sunday Dare For Disrespecting Sports Journalists

  Edo 2020: SWAN Slams Ministry of Sports, Sunday Dare For Disrespecting Sports Journalists By Niyi Busari Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has bashed the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development under Sunday Dare for disrespecting journalists during the just-concluded 20th National Sports Festival in Edo. This is contained in a communique released at the end of SWAN National Convention during the biennial sports events presided over by the president, Honour Sirawoo. Many sports journalists who were in Edo  decried lack of tools to enhance effective media coverage during the Games. They noted that the medals table with which to know the performances of participating States was not made available as when due. For instance, the first medals table surfaced on Tuesday when states and athletes were already awarded medals in Judo and Swimming events that started on Saturday - four days earlier. Media accreditation and welfare for the media are not also well-planned out. Also, when the Local Organizing Committee threatened that the Games will not continue, the LOC on their part, addressed the media on the development while the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development molested journalists who came to cover the press briefing in an hotel on a serious national issue. Sports journalists who described the just-concluded 20th National Sports Festival as the worst ever have vowed to boycott future National events if they're are not included properly in the scheme of events "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." The communique stated.