The Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF) has been described as an intervention project of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) designed to include all youths in the region irrespective of gender and physical abilities.

According to the Executive Director Finance and Administration, NDDC, Alabo Boma Iyaye the intent behind the design speaks to global practises of inclusivity in sports and other aspects of life.

He made the assertion while appearing on the ARISE television Morning Show.

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He maintained that the rationale for including Para-Athletics and Para-lifting in the 17 games festival event, Iyaye said, “there are youths in the region with physical disabilities and they must enjoy the benefits of the NDDC intervention”.

“At the international level, we have the Paralympic Games organised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to cater for persons with physical disabilities and the Niger Delta Sports Festival cannot deviate from the international best practices” remarked Iyaye who also serves as the Chairman of the NDSF Main Organising Committee (MOC).

He also spoke of the reason behind the NDDC decision to extend its intervention program to Sports, noting that “sports is a powerful too for national unity. We want to provide a platform for youths in the nine mandate states of NDDC to bond, to know each other and find expression for their talents”.

“There is a need to regenerate the line of supply of athletes to represent Nigeria as a country in international sports competitions and the festival will afford us the opportunity to discover new talents that will be nurtured to replace the likes of Blessing Okagbere, Enefiok Udo-Obong, Blessing Oborodudu, Victor Ikpeba, Emmanuel Amuneke, Seun Ogunkoya and many others”.

The NDDC since founded by an act of parliament in July 2000 has championed the provision of infrastructure in roads, health care, education and skills acquisition.

Iyaye said that delving into sports would enable those who may not be successful in education and artisan skills to build a career in sports.

The NDSF which started with trials in the local government and federal constituencies will be held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State from April 1-8. About 3000 athletes will compete in 17 sports.

Carlo Ancelotti, the legendary coach of Real Madrid, is set to face trial next week over allegations of tax fraud, a Madrid court announced on Friday.

Spanish prosecutors are pushing for a prison sentence of four years and nine months, accusing the 65-year-old of failing to report over €1 million ($1.1 million) in earnings from image rights between 2014 and 2015.

The trial is scheduled to begin on Wednesday and will last two days. According to a court spokesperson, Ancelotti is required to be present for the hearings.

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Authorities claim that while Ancelotti declared his salary from Real Madrid, he allegedly used a “confusing” and “complex” structure of shell companies to conceal additional earnings from image rights and other sources, despite being registered as a tax resident in Spain at the time.

A Spanish court initially ordered him to stand trial in 2023, but no date was set until now. Last year, Ancelotti dismissed the case as “an old story that I hope will be resolved soon.”

Ancelotti, who has won a record five Champions League titles as a coach, first took charge of Real Madrid in 2013 before leaving in 2015.

He later managed Bayern Munich, Napoli, and Everton before returning to Madrid in 2021.

With a career spanning top clubs across Europe, he has also secured league titles in Spain, Italy, England, Germany, and France.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced Egypt as the new host of the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) following Côte d’Ivoire’s withdrawal.

CAF made the announcement in a statement on Thursday evening, revealing that the West African nation pulled out just a month before the tournament due to “unforeseen circumstances.”

Côte d’Ivoire was initially scheduled to host the age-grade competition from April 26 to May 18, but the hosting rights have now been transferred to Egypt.

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“The Confédération Africaine de Football (‘CAF’) today awarded the Egyptian Football Association (‘EFA’) and Egyptian Government the rights to host the TotalEnergies CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations 2025,” part of the statement read.

Egypt, which hosted the previous edition of the tournament, will now take on the responsibility once again. The competition has been slightly rescheduled and will now commence on April 27.

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles are drawn in Group B alongside the new hosts, Egypt, as well as Morocco and South Africa.

The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage, while the best two third-placed teams will also earn quarter-final slots.

Furthermore, the four semi-finalists of the tournament will automatically qualify for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile.

Egypt’s appointment as host comes as a swift solution following Côte d’Ivoire’s unexpected withdrawal, ensuring that Africa’s premier youth tournament proceeds as planned.