Gombe Athletics Association boycotts NEDC-Sponsored competition, states reasons

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The Gombe State Athletics Association (GAA) has revealed that poor and sub-standard facilities are among the reasons it has opted to boycott the North East Development Commission (NEDC)- sponsored AthIetics competition starting today, October 22, 2024.

Chairman of Gombe State Athletics Association, Hon. Ahmed Shuaibu Gara Gombe, in a press statement made available to Nation Update warned that on no account should any athlete from GAA or Nigeria Athletics Association of Technical Officials (NAATO) participate in the championship starting today at the Pantami Stadium, Gombe.

Gara-Gombe bemoaned a situation where organizers of the event are unknown to them, and have no antecedents when it comes to sports management and organisation despite it’s being sponsored by NEDC.

The press statement read; “All AthIetics stakeholders are hereby notified that on no account should any athIete, NAATO officials participate in the proposed athletics competition planned to commence today, October 22, 2024 at the Pantami Stadium.

“It’s cogent to note that athletics world-wide has rules of engagement which all stakeholders must obey, therefore, not meeting these rules by the organisers, the Gombe State Athletics Association has decided to exit from the competition in accordance to the rules of the AthIetics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and by extension the World AthIetics.

“Part of the reasons Gombe AthIetics Association is boycotting the competition are as follows: “The competition falls below AthIetics standards both in procurement of running facilities, medical and insurance requirements.”

Gombe went further to reveal, “Organisers of the competition are largely unknown to leaders of Gombe State Athletics Association, even as facilities for the competition are either sub-standard or none existent.

“All NAATO officials were not officially invited for the competition.”

The chairman therefore called on Gombe athletes to close ranks to ward off all forms of ridicules targeted at it.