Sports
8,000 Athletes for Edo 2020 Festival- Minister
The much postponed Edo National Sports Festival will go ahead as planned from April 2nd- 14th with 8,000 athletes taking part, Minister of Youth and Sports Development Chief Sunday Dare has assured.
Speaking in Benin on Friday after undergoing a tour of facilities and a meeting with Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki, Chief Dare Said” On April 2nd, 2021, the camp for the Edo Festival would be opened, on April 6th the official opening of the Festival by Mr. President would take place. But beyond that, we are also working closely with the PTF, NCDC, and others to ensure that the necessary support we need in terms of vaccination of athletes, test kits will be available. We are also pruning down the number of athletes that would be participating from 14,000 to 8,000. I must thank the Governor and his Deputy Governor for taking the lead on this”
On accommodation of athletes, he said” We have been able to get the University of Benin to host our athletes. There is still some work to be done here which may not be on the radar, but everything is on track I can tell you with certainty that the Edo National Sports Festival will hold. After meeting with the Governor, His Excellence Godwin Obaseki, his Deputy Comrade Philip Shuaibu, we are reassured that we are on track to host a successful National Sports Festival. All obstacles have been cleared, we are ready for a great festival. The event is coming at the most auspicious time when we are preparing for the Olympics. This is our local Olympics and we shall make the most of it. The President has given his nod for the Festival to take place, there’s no going back”
The Festival billed for last year was postponed due to the outbreak of Covid-19.
The new February date was also moved due to paucity of funds.
Chief Dare had to make a special presentation to the President for funds to support Edo state after the Governor declared that the state lacked the resources to host the Festival.
Sports
SWAN President Calls for Gender-Fair Reporting in Sports Journalism
By Joel Ajayi
The President of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Isaiah Kemje Benjamin, has urged sports journalists to eliminate gender stereotypes and bias in their reports to promote fairness, inclusion and greater visibility for women in sports.
Benjamin made the call on Monday in Abuja while delivering a presentation titled “Gender-Sensitive Journalism: Removing Gender Stereotypes and Bias in Sports Reporting” at the Annual Women in Sports Leadership Training/Seminar for Journalists, organised by the Women Commission of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC).
He said sports journalists play a critical role in shaping public opinion, influencing athletes’ visibility and determining which achievements receive recognition, sponsorship and investment.
According to him, the way the media reports women in sports can either reinforce existing barriers or help dismantle them.
Benjamin explained that gender-sensitive journalism requires fairness, accuracy, equality and inclusion, stressing that it does not mean giving female athletes favourable coverage or shielding them from legitimate criticism.
He identified common forms of bias in sports reporting, including giving men’s competitions greater prominence, focusing on female athletes’ appearance rather than performance, defining women by their marital or family status, and questioning their competence in leadership positions.
The SWAN president urged journalists to adopt respectful language, apply consistent professional standards and extend coverage beyond national teams to domestic leagues, grassroots competitions, female coaches, referees and sports administrators.
Using Nigeria’s sporting landscape as an example, he said the achievements of the Super Falcons deserved sustained analysis beyond match results, including discussions on investment, player development, professional leagues and grassroots structures.
He also noted that digital platforms offered opportunities to expand coverage of women’s sports but warned journalists against sensationalism, online harassment and sexist commentary.
Benjamin proposed seven measures, including gender-sensitive editorial guidelines, regular coverage audits, diversified sources, professional development, stronger grassroots reporting and measurable progress.
He called on SWAN to collaborate with the NOC, sports federations, leagues and clubs to improve access to information and strengthen women’s visibility in sports.
He urged journalists to ensure that athletes are judged by their performances and achievements rather than gender stereotypes.
“Gender-sensitive journalism must be fair, not favourable,” he said, emphasising that responsibility for change rests with reporters, editors, broadcasters, photographers and digital publishers.
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