Abia State government has conducted the fixtures for the State Finals of Abia Soccer Fest tournament, with an announcement that no team from the LGAs would play their matches on their own home soil, for the purpose of maintaining fairness.
While unveiling the fixtures on Wednesday in Umuahia, Abia State government said that the idea was to promote fairness and to avoid “home advantage”.
In their speeches during the event, Abia State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Uzor Nwachukwu and the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Nwaobilor Ananaba said sixty young footballers were discovered in the earlier phases of the Abia Soccer Fest competition.
The Abia State government officials said that more talents would be identified from the State final matches and nurtured for the Nigeria League clubs, Nigerian Junior National teams and exported to foreign football clubs in Europe as career footballers.
Abia State government further said that the Abia Soccer was designed to create career opportunities for the youths, promote unity in communities as well as prevent the young citizens from engaging in anti-society activities .
Delivering his speech, Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, who was represented by his deputy, Ikechukwu Emetu challenged the young footballers not to misuse the opportunities but to seize the moment to become State and national sports icons.