By Daily Sports on November 28, 2019

The Edo State Football Association has scheduled matches between grassroots clubs based in the state from where high preforming players will be picked to represent the state in the National Sports Festival which the state will host next year.

Some players were recently invited to camp based on their performance in the Edo FA Cup which took place in March this year but the Edo FA and its coach Aghaowa seem to want to be sure about the current form of players. After a meeting between the Edo FA officials and grassroots clubs coaches on Wednesday afternoon, it was decided that matches be played by the clubs at the Emotan Grammar School football pitch in Benin City from where top quality and in form players will be invited for camping.

In one of the appetizing fixtures scheduled for Monday afternoon, 2016 Edo State League champions Benin Warriors FC will lock horns with Mission Side FC who won this year’s Edo State prestigious Bet9ja football competition in Benin City.

Current champions of the Edo State League BJ Foundation will take on Crown FC in another Monday fixture 

Edo State is blessed with fantastic and technically gifted players who will be glad to represent the state in a showpiece event that the National Sports Festival is.

A player of one of the participating clubs said: “It will be a thing of pride to play for Edo state in the Sports Festival. I would like to shine at the newly refurbished Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium against teams from other states. Playing in front of thousands of fans in the Ogbemudia stadium will give me goose bumps. I just pray I’m selected by the coach Aghaowa technical crew to play for Edo State.”

Meanwhile, preparations continue for a successful hosting of the festival.

The National Sports Festival is enjoying something of a renaissance after a hiatus of six years during which no Festival was staged until the 19th edition in the FCT in 2019 which was won by Delta State. Edo State emerged hosts of the 20th edition at the conclusion of the 19th edition after seeing off competition from Imo, Cross River and Delta states.

The 32 confirmed sports for Edo in 2020 are the most at a Festival since the 37 events featured at the 19th edition in the FCT.

List of Compulsory Sports Ffor Future National Sports Festivals

1. Athletics

2. Badminton

3. Basketball

4. Beach Volleyball

5. Boxing

6. Chess

7. Cycling

8. Football

9. Gymnastics

10. Handball

11. Hockey

12. Judo

13. Karate

14. Kickboxing

15. Kung-Fu

16. Para-Athletics

17. Para-Powerlifting

18. Para-Table Tennis

19. Scrabble

20. Squash

21. Swimming

22. Table Tennis

23. Tennis

24. Taekwondo

25. Volleyball (Indoor)

26. Weightlifting

27. Wrestling

List of Optional Sports

1. Amputee Football

2. Canoeing

3. Cricket

4. Darts

5. Deaf Sports (Male and Female Sprint Event in Athletics)

6. Fives

7. Golf

8. Para Shooting

9. Para Soccer

10. Para Swimming

11. Para Taekwondo

12. Rowing

13. Rugby

14. Sailing

15. Shooting

16. Sitting Volleyball

17. Traditional Boxing (Dambe)

18. Traditional Sport (Abula)

19. Traditional Sport (Ayo)

20. Traditional Sport (Langa)

21. Traditional Wrestling (Kokawa)

22. Wheelchair Basketball

23. Wheelchair Tennis

24. Yachting

•PHOTO: Players of Benin Warriors FC

Source Daily Sports

Posted November 28, 2019

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