Diplomatic Sports Competition Kicks Off, June 2

The Chairman, Local
Organising Committee (LOC) of Diplomatic Sports Competition Moses Essien has said the maiden edition earlier scheduled for April 7 would now kick off June 2.
Essien, who made the disclosure  in Abuja, said he had  briefed 40 Heads of Diplomatic Missions in Nigeria about the forthcoming events in Abuja.
He said the competition would feature 20 sports, including football, golf, table tennis, tennis, badminton, squash, cricket, basketball, volleyball, baseball, boxing and tug of war.
The rest are swimming, cycling, snooker, billiards, chess, monopoly, draughts and scrabble.
The chairman appealed to the missions to encourage their spouses to participate in the female football stating that the female football would be played at the opening ceremony.
“The forthcoming maiden edition of Diplomatic Sports event is scheduled to take place on June 2 in both Package A and B of the National Stadium Abuja.
“This will bring together for the first time in Nigerian history the highest concentration of all members of the diplomatic community, their families as well as their disaporas in Nigeria,” he said.
Essien said the progamme was aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s consistent desire to promote the policy of regional, continental and global peace through integration.
The chairman said that the theme for the competition is “Integration for World Peace”, noting that it would enhance the image of Nigeria in the global community.
Essien noted that America Embassy had indicated that it would come with 80 mission personnel and also the British High Commission had shown interest for all the sports.
our correspondent reports that the opening ceremony will hold at the Main Bowl of Abuja National Stadium on June 2 with the closing ceremony on June 7.