PHOTO CREDIT: Punch NG / Original photo from Punch Newspapers
EKO 2026 Will Expose States Involved in Athlete Poaching — Yusuf Alli
Former Nigerian Olympian and sports administrator, Yusuf Alli, says the maiden National Intermediate Games, EKO 2026, will reveal which states are genuinely investing in grassroots sports development and which ones depend on poaching athletes for medals.

The Games are scheduled to hold from October 1 to 15, 2026, in Lagos, with about 15,000 athletes aged 15 to 18 from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory expected to compete in 28 sports.

According to Alli, who is part of the organizing team, EKO 2026 is designed to bridge the gap between youth and senior categories and test the real strength of each state’s development programme.
“This will expose states. States that just go and buy athletes for festivals — this will determine the ones that have really been training,” Alli said.
He noted that the focus of the Games is shifting from immediate medal hauls to long-term athlete production and sustainability.
“I know for sure that states like Edo and Lagos train athletes very well. It will come to play for us to see the states that have been training athletes,” he added.
Alli also disclosed that talent identification teams will be on ground to spot exceptional prospects for future development.
“We look at the extra-talented athletes that may not have what it takes now, but may have what it takes in the future. Those are the ones we are really looking to concentrate on.”
He stressed that the true success of EKO 2026 will not be judged by the final medal table alone, but by the number of young talents discovered, nurtured, and retained by their states for transition to the senior level.

The issue of athlete poaching has remained a major talking point in Nigerian sports. While Delta State dominated the senior level — retaining its title at the 2025 National Sports Festival in Ogun with 323 medals, including 122 gold medals — Lagos topped the 2025 National Youth Games in Asaba with 52 gold medals, showing the power of a solid grassroots structure.
SOURCE: Punch Newspapers –