No fewer than 203 athletes and 93 officials will represent Kwara in 24 sporting events at the 21st edition of the National Sports Festival holding in Delta.
The Executive Chairman of Kwara Sports Commission,, confirmed this at a news conference on Monday in Ilorin.
The chairman added that the athletes would be given N2,500 per day as allowance.
”The state has also paid the organisers for feeding and housing of athletes throughout the festival’s arrangement.
”Though, it is within the right of the Governor to reward the athletes’ performance after the festival,” Magaji promised to personally encourage any athele that win medal at the event with amount of N10,000.
The chairman, who did not however reveal the amount released by state government for the festival, expressed optimism that the state would win laurels.
He highlighted para table tennis, squash and badminton as potential medal hauling events for the contingent.
Magaji enjoined the athletes to be good ambassadors of the state.
“I want to use this medium to charge all the athletes to be good ambassadors of the State.
”They shouldn’t be involved in drugs because we are not focusing much on winning medals by all cost,” the chairman said.
Newsmen reports that the opening ceremony of the festival will hold on Wednesday at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba, while the closing ceremony will be on Dec. 10.
Kwara placed 15th on the final medal table of the last edition held in Edo, after winning 44 medals, including seven gold, six silver and 31 bronze medals.