The ongoing National Youth Games has been overshadowed by allegations of age cheating, with Olympic champion Enefiok Udo-Obong raising alarm over what he described as the participation of overage athletes, The Dtowncrier reports.
Udo-Obong, a two-time Olympic medallist and former Nigerian Olympic Committee board member, criticised the growing culture of “cutting corners” at grassroots competitions. Speaking on a WhatsApp platform, he lamented that the Games—meant to discover and nurture young talent—had been turned into a “do-or-die affair” by some states.
“It is shameful that some people do not want to learn despite repeated signs,” he said.
“Some of them may even be supported by state apparatus, and it calls to question the sincerity of administrators and all those involved.”
The former sprinter pointed to the girls’ 100m race, dominated by athletes from Delta and Edo states, as an example. He argued that the times returned were unusually fast for the U-15 category.
“If we had 13- and 14-year-olds running this fast, then the future would be bright, but it is not, because of constant cheating,” Udo-Obong said.
He further alleged that some athletes, including Tejiri Ugoh and Faith Chukwuma, had previously been disqualified from U-17 competitions for being overage, only to return months later to compete in the U-15 Games. Ugoh went on to win gold in the 100m final with a time of 11.75 seconds, while Chukwuma and Ufuoma Merit, both from Delta, secured silver and bronze respectively.
Organisers Deny Widespread Malpractice
In response, Patrick Abobi, Deputy Director at the National Sports Commission and chairman of the Games’ screening committee, dismissed the claims, insisting that this year’s screening process was the most rigorous in the competition’s nine-year history.
“This is the first time I am hearing such a report. This year’s screening was the best so far. We had over 5,000 athletes registered and screened out fewer than 200, compared to over 400 in previous editions,” Abobi said.
He acknowledged, however, that the process had limitations, as organisers relied heavily on documents such as the National Identification Number, which could be manipulated.
“Only parents know the true age of their child. Since we are not applying advanced technology to determine actual age, there are limitations,” he admitted.
Focus on Talent Development
Abobi stressed that the essence of the Games was not about medals but talent discovery.
“The main objective is to discover hidden talents that will replace ageing ones. We remind states and coaches that this competition is to prepare athletes for the future—the Commonwealth Games, the All Africa Games and the Olympics,” he said.
To discourage shortcuts, he revealed that the commission was considering reforms, including a review of the reward system for states.
“If we get the reward structure right, states will focus on development rather than manipulation,” he added.
Despite the controversy, Abobi maintained that progress was being made.
“We cannot get it all right in one day, but there is already massive improvement. With proper planning and the right support, we will close the loopholes,” he said.
Now in its ninth edition, the National Youth Games remains Nigeria’s flagship grassroots sporting event for athletes aged 15 and under.
