The lure of medals and cash rewards for potential champions has been identified as a major factor driving the rise of age cheating at the National Youth Games (NYG).
The Executive Director of Sports Development and Operations at the Edo State Sports Commission, Mrs. Chikere Sabina, made this known while speaking with journalists at the ongoing Youth Games in Asaba.
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According to her, the primary motive of the NYG is grassroots sports development and talent discovery, but the introduction of financial incentives and medal targets by some states has encouraged unethical practices.
“Once medals and cash rewards are attached, administrators tend to push athletes who are above the age limit just to impress their principals and bosses. This paves the way for proliferation of age cheats by states,” Sabina remarked.
She further noted that it would be unrealistic to expect the Youth Games to be completely free of age cheats so long as additional rewards remain part of the motivation.
Mrs. Sabina, however, urged organisers to redefine the objectives of the NYG in line with its original vision of discovering and nurturing young talents, rather than focusing on medal counts.
She commended the Edo State Government for providing the right platform for youths to develop through sports, stressing that talents discovered from the Games will be groomed and nurtured in line with the administration’s vision.
