Edo prepares ‘special squad’ for NYG in Delta, warns on doping

Edo State Sports Commission is preparing a ‘special squad’ for the 2023 National Youth Games scheduled to begin in Asaba, Delta state, on September 20.

National Daily Newspaper gathered reports yesterday, that the athletes and officials are camped at Etete, GRA. Speaking on the readiness of Team Edo for the Seventh National Youth Games.

The state Director, Sports Development and Operations, Mr. Charity Igbinosa, stated that the commencement of two weeks camping is to give the young athletes the opportunity to get used to the equipment, adding that the chairman of the Sports Commission, Olympian Yusuf Alli, has given approval to their requests and released all that is needed to ensure adequate preparations for the Games, National Daily Newspaper gathered .

According to him, Team Edo is preparing a contingent of about 223 of both athletes and officials to feature in 23 sports in Asaba. A total of 5,742 registered participants are expected at the Youth Games in Asaba with 34 sports to feature.

Meanwhile, athletes have been advised to stay away from performance enhanced substances as it has damaging effects on their lives in the future.

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Dr Femi Ayorinde gave the advice while giving enlightenment to coaches, secretaries of the Kwara State Sports Commission, taking drugs could, among other things, affect reproductive systems in the future. It result to abnormal behaviors with serious health consequences.

All Athletes must be careful of  drugs of which they know whether it contains banned substances, they must make application from the anti-doping agency for clearance, he said.

Ayorinde also disclosed that any banned coach must not be seen training athletes anywhere and if such happens, the coach and the athletes risk being banned for life National Daily Newspaper gathered.