The newly appointed Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Chief Bukola Olopade has disclosed that the rescheduling of the National Sports Festival to May, 2025 was to allow the newly created National Sports Commission, settle down and create a sustainable sports economy, as mandated by President BolaTinubu.

The National Sports Festival tagged "Gateway Games", earlier slated to hold between January 12 and 26, 2025 has been rescheduled for May 16th to 30th, 2025.

The rescheduling of the festival was contained in a communique jointly signed by the DG, NSC Chief Bukola Olopade and the Commissioner for Sports Development, Ogun state, Hon. Wasiu Isiaka.

Presenting the Communique to Journalists after the first Joint Technical Meeting of the 37 Directors of Sports, 37 Technical Directors, Secretaries of Sports Federations, Main Organising Committee (MOC) and Local Organising Committee (LOC), at MITROS Hall, Abeokuta, the Secretary of the Main Organising Committee, Mrs. Thecla Opara, said the shift in date for the festival was to allow the state government to effect the necessary recommendations noticed during the inspection of facilities at the proposed venues for the games.

Mrs. Opara stressed that the meeting was meant to synergy between members of the MOC Sub-committees/Liaison Officers, relevant Local Organising Committee and LOC Sub-Committees.

While speaking with Journalists after the meeting, the DG NSC and a former Commissioner for Youth and Sports in the State, Hon.  Bukola Olopade maintained that the LOC and Ogun State Government were ready to host the festival in January 2025, but the MOC had to listen to the advice of the Technical Directors to push the date further for proper realignment of the Sports Commission.

He said the MOC and the Technical Committee had agreed to invite outstanding junior athletes who participated at the just concluded National Youth Games in Asaba, Delta State, known as Invited Junior Athletes (IJA) to partake in the National Sports Festival next year, as a separate entity, or be calved out as the 38th State.

“We feel there were so many elements that needed to come together for us to push Nigeria forward in the spirit of the new sports organisation, capture all elements together which will make the commission to settle down properly as well as create an ecosystem for economic sustainability as envisioned by Mr. President.

“All of these were done in agreement and approval of the Chairman of the Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko. So, we are excited that we have five months more to put everything together and to make the state proud. It was strategically done to settle a new commission to recognise the idea of creating a sports economy that is sustainable", Chief Olopade said.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Sports Development, Hon. Wasiu Isiaka expressed satisfaction with the decision of the Technical Committee, maintaining that the shift in date would allow the state government to further expand the ecosystem of organising the best National Sports Festival that would be a reference point in the near future.

February 23rd to 28th, 2025 was also announced as the commencement of zonal eliminations for Team Sports.