Hockey excluded from 23rd National Sports Festival

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Hockey has been excluded from the forthcoming 23rd National Sports Festival, tagged Enugu 2026, with the sport omitted from the list of events scheduled for the zonal qualifiers.

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In a letter dated August 24 and addressed to the zonal coordinators, the Main Organising Committee said the zonal eliminations for the Games would begin on September 12 across the six geopolitical zones, but only five sports were listed for the qualifiers.

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The selected sports are basketball, cricket, football, volleyball and beach volleyball for both male and female athletes, while hockey and abula, which were contested at the last edition of the Games in Ogun State, have been dropped.

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The first- and second-placed teams from the zonal eliminations will qualify for the main events of the National Sports Festival in Enugu.

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Enugu was selected to host the next NSF in November 2024, but the dates for the Games are yet to be announced.

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The decision to drop hockey is believed to be linked to the unavailability of a suitable facility in Enugu, with the possibility of holding the event in Delta State reportedly considered as an alternative.

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Meanwhile, the National Sports Commission confirmed in May that the Games would feature only 20 sports.

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At the last two editions of the Games, 39 sports, including demonstration events, were contested.

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Enugu State Commissioner for Sports, Lloyd Ekweremadu, said the decision to reduce the number of sports to 20 was taken during the National Council of Sports meeting held in Calabar, Cross River State, last year.

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He added that reducing the number of sports to 20 was in line with international practice, while declaring that Enugu was ready to host the 2026 NSF in the last quarter of the year.

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