2014 NSF: Zonal Eliminations Begin, August

Tennis players struggling for honours during a national event in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, recently.

The zonal eliminations for team games for the 2014 National Sports Festival (NSF) would begin in August across the six geo-political zones of the country.
Mr Ademola Are, the Zonal Coordinator, North West of the National Sports Commission (NSC) disclosed this in an interview with newsmen.
Are expressed the need to kick-off the zonal eliminations early to give room for proper organisation and fixtures for the main event scheduled to begin in Calabar, on Nov. 23.
“It has to be about three months before the festival itself, except if the rules are changed.
“Ours is to conduct the zonal eliminations in the team games which will determine which of the states will represent the zones during the sports festival especially in football, handball, hockey, basketball and volleyball.
“It is not a thing for us; this is what we have been doing and we hope that by the grace of almighty God that everything thing will go well; we will definitely do our best.“
Are, who is also the Chairman of the Zonal Eliminations Sub-committee of the festival, said the six geo-political zones would be treated equally during the elimination exercise.
He pointed out that his zone (North West) would not receive preferential treatment during the exercise as he would be working with other zonal coordinators to identify talents for the country.
“This will impact positively on all the zones and on the committee because all the zonal coordinators are aware of what is expected of them; they know what to do towards the zonal elimination.
“It will be an added advantage that I am the chairman of this particular sub-committee because we know ourselves, we know the terrain and we shall definitely deliver.“
He also told newsmen that adequate arrangements were being made to ensure hitch free elimination exercises for the festival tagged “Paradise Games”.