National Youth Games 2025: Edo Disqualified, Abia Upgraded To Bronze In Boys’ Rugby Sevens

The Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF) has announced a medal reallocation successful the Boys’ Rugby Sevens lawsuit astatine the 2025 National Youth Games, pursuing the disqualification of Edo State for fielding an ineligible player.

According to a connection issued by the Nigerian Rugby Football Federation, Edo State breached eligibility rules by utilizing a subordinate who had been screened retired by the National Youth Games Screening Committee.

The usurpation was archetypal protested by Imo State during the excavation stage. Although Imo aboriginal refused to proceed successful the competition, the Main Organising Committee (MOC) upheld their protestation and voided the Edo vs Imo result.

Despite the breach, Edo went connected to triumph the Bronze Final against Abia State. However, aft the competition, Abia petitioned for the bronze medal, citing Edo’s disqualification.

The NRFF ruled that:

Edo State is disqualified from the tournament.

All matches involving the ineligible subordinate are recorded arsenic forfeits.

The Bronze Medal is officially reallocated to Abia State, portion Kano State and Delta State stay Gold and Silver medalists respectively.

The Federation emphasized that its determination aligns with World Rugby regulations and Olympic precedent, which mandate that erstwhile a disqualified squad forfeits a medal, it is awarded to the adjacent eligible squad alternatively than replaying matches.

The NRFF besides confirmed that Edo State indispensable instrumentality the bronze medals and accreditations, portion a ceremonial re-presentation volition beryllium conducted successful favour of Abia State.

Looking ahead, the NRFF said pre-match ID checks and team-sheet verifications volition beryllium strictly enforced successful aboriginal tournaments, informing that immoderate squad fielding ineligible players should expect contiguous disqualification.

This ruling takes contiguous effect but remains taxable to the NYG’s wide close of entreaty to the MOC wrong the stipulated timeframe.