The National Council of Sports on Friday in Asaba recommended December 3 to 18 for the Edo 2020 National Sports Festival.

The NCS, which comprises of the sports minister, Sunday Dare, who is the chairman and all commissioners of sports or their equivalent from the 36 states of the federation and the secretary in charge of sports in the Federal Capital Territory, recommended December 3, 2020, for the opening ceremony of the festival, with the closing ceremony on Friday, December 18.

The festival, which was earlier scheduled for March 22 to April 1, was postponed indefinitely due to COVID-19.

The communique issued at the end of the council meeting read, “The virtual meeting held earlier this year unanimously agreed to host the festival this year. The Committee of Experts set up during the virtual meeting made specific recommendations regarding the successful organization of the 20th National Sports Festival. It has become imperative to tinker with the modus operandi of the festival.”

The recommendations are however subject to the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Deputy Governor, Edo State, Philip Shuaibu, who was also present at the NCS meeting, said the state was ready to host the festival, adding that the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Nigeria and Sierra Leone on November 13 at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin would be used to assess their preparations for the festival.

He said, “Edo State is ready to host the festival. We have all protocols in place. We are in compliance with the stipulated rules and we don’t want anybody infected during the festival.

“We are using the Super Eagles versus Sierra Leone match as a test run. The players and officials must arrive early and undergo all the protocols.”