A member of the Main Organising Committee (MOC) of the 8th Kwara State Sports Festival, Alhaji Olatunji Mohammed El-Lado, has urged participating athletes to be good ambassadors of their respective Local Government Areas and demonstrate discipline throughout the festival.

El-Lado, who is the Chief Executive Officer of El-Lado Motors, stated this while speaking with journalists shortly after the hoisting of flags of the 16 Local Government Areas participating in the festival.

He said the multi-sport fiesta was designed not only to discover talents from the grassroots but also to promote unity and showcase the cultural diversity of the state.

He therefore, urged the athletes to remain focused on their sporting activities and shun illicit acts capable of undermining the success of the festival.

According to him, athletes are expected to remain within the stadium environment throughout the duration of the competition to enable them to concentrate fully on their events and harness their potentials.

El-Lado stressed the need for athletes to conduct themselves responsibly, noting that their behaviour would also determine the image and reputation of their respective Local Government Areas.

He also reaffirmed his commitment, through the El-Lado brand, to supporting initiatives aimed at advancing sports development in Kwara State.

He called on the Kwara State Sports Commission to intensify efforts to attract more private-sector organisations into the state’s sports ecosystem through effective collaboration and partnerships.

El-Lado said bringing more private investors together under a coordinated platform would encourage greater investment in sports and reduce the financial burden on government.

“If the Commission can bring more private individuals together under one umbrella and encourage them to invest in sports, this will assist government in focusing on other sectors,” he remarked.

The 8th Kwara State Sports Festival is scheduled to officially commence today, Saturday, with the opening ceremony billed for the Main-Bowl of the George Agbazika Innih Stadium Complex, Ilorin, from 3 pm.

The festival will feature 25 sporting events, with athletes from the 16 Local Government Areas of the state expected to participate.