Sports

NYG: Sports Minister frowns at Age Cheat Allegations, melt out stiff penalties

Published

4 years ago

October 20, 2021

Joel Ajayi

Minister of Youths And Sports, Mr Sunday Dare has expressed his dismay over the current trend of age cheat at the National Youth Games which is meant for Athletes under the age of 15.

Minister who was not happy with the situation frowned at the issue of age cheat that may affect the growth of the sports in the country, thereby vowed to stop age cheat in Sports.

In his closing remark at 6th edition of National Youth Games which held at the University of Ilorin condemned the soaring issues around age cheat in the games and highlighted some of the measure that would be put in place to ensure adequate screening is carried out to admit athletes for the Youth Games.

According to him “I want to condemned and express my disappointment about a few of the problem around age cheating that continues to roar it’s head specifically even during this games”.

“The Ministry for Youths And Sports Development wants to declare that going forward we will ensure that we will adopt more scientific means of identifying age cheat next time and melt out stiff penalties to the offending athletes and the state they represent”.

He further stressed “We will consider the National Identity Management Card (NIMC) registration as a requirement and others that will be roll out later in our letters that will go to out to the states and there will be need for all Athletes to have a NIMC registration before they can participate henceforth”.

“This document would be required, would be developed and we will work in conjunction with the Organisation in charge, this measure is needed to avoid losing out on a possible potential medalist being screened out as over aged while they are not or vise versa”.

However, Minister believes that the move will help in identifying screening of athletes in order not to deny qualified athletes a future in their chosen sport.

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Sports

Lagos State Sports Commission, Abbey Rangers FC Seal Groundbreaking Partnership for Grassroots Football Development

Published

2 hours ago

November 5, 2025

The Gleamer

The Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) has unveiled a groundbreaking partnership with Abbey Rangers Football Club, a renowned community football institution in the United Kingdom, marking a new era in grassroots football development in Nigeria.

Under this strategic alliance, Abbey Rangers FC will collaborate with the Lagos State Sports Commission to implement a robust seven-pillar framework focused on:
talent development, coaching enhancement, sports science, community engagement, policy support, resource mobilization, and infrastructure growth.

The partnership is a first of its kind between Nigeria and a UK-based community football club and aims to create a sustainable, inclusive, and globally competitive football ecosystem in Lagos State. It promises to unlock new international opportunities for young athletes and coaches, offering pathways for advanced training, mentorship, and global exposure.

Speaking at the official unveiling, Director General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Mr. Lekan Fatodu, described the partnership as “a landmark step in Lagos’ mission to build a sustainable and inclusive sports ecosystem.”

“This collaboration represents a deliberate effort to connect Lagos with global best practices in grassroots football development,” Fatodu stated.

“Abbey Rangers brings proven expertise and community-driven values that align with our vision to nurture world-class talent and position Lagos as a continental hub for youth sports excellence.”

In his remarks, Abbey Rangers Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Nick Riley, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, noting that it reflects the club’s long-standing commitment to community-driven sports development.

“We are proud to partner with Lagos State on this visionary initiative,” Riley said.

“Abbey Rangers has always believed that community football is a powerful tool for development, inclusion, and opportunity. This collaboration allows us to share our grassroots model and experience with one of Africa’s most dynamic cities.”

The LSSC–Abbey Rangers partnership is a reflection of Lagos State’s strategic commitment to developing the next generation of football talent through international collaboration, innovation, and community-based sports programs. It also reaffirms the Commission’s leadership in driving sports diplomacy and youth empowerment across Africa.

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