EKO 2026 TO EXPOSE STATES POACHING ATHLETES – YUSUF ALLI

Former Nigerian Olympian and sports administrator, Yusuf Alli, has said the maiden National Intermediate Games, tagged EKO 2026, will reveal states that genuinely develop young athletes and those that rely on recruiting established talents.

The competition is scheduled to hold in Lagos from October 1 to 15, with athletes aged 15 to 18 expected to compete across 28 sports.

About 15,000 athletes from Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory are expected to participate in the inaugural edition.

Alli, who is part of the organising structure, said the Games would provide an opportunity to assess the effectiveness of states’ grassroots sports development programmes.

He explained that the competition would shift attention from short-term medal success to identifying states with sustainable systems for producing athletes.

Alli specifically praised Edo and Lagos for their efforts in training athletes, saying EKO 2026 would help demonstrate which states have invested consistently in grassroots development.

He added that talent identification teams would closely monitor the athletes throughout the Games, particularly those who show potential for future success.

According to Alli, the real success of EKO 2026 will not be determined solely by the medal table but by the number of young athletes discovered, developed and retained as they progress towards senior-level competition.