As preparations for the maiden National Intermediate Games intensify, organisers have announced plans to deploy the National Identity Management System (NIMS) to serve as an age verification tool.

Gbenga Omotoso, chairman of the media publicity sub-committee, announced this in a statement on Sunday in Lagos.

According to him, the move aims to curb age cheating among athletes.

The multi-sport event, tagged Eko 2026, will run from October 1 to October 15.

“The Local Organising Committee (LOC) in collaboration with the Main Organising Committee (MOC) will be introducing the National Identity Management System to curb age cheating among athletes.

“The Games will feature thousands of young athletes aged 15 to 18 years, competing across multiple sports.

“The LOC co-chairman, Lekan Fatodu, has explained that in order to safeguard the integrity of the competition, technology will be central to ensuring that only eligible participants are allowed to compete.

“As we are aware, the competition is meant to bridge the gap between the Youth Games and the National Sports Festival,” Mr Omotoso stated.

He noted that hosting the tournament provided a platform to set a new standard for checking age cheating.

“We want to ensure that only athletes within the right age bracket compete.

“In the past, over- aged athletes have competed against under-aged athletes, denying genuine talents the chance to shine.

“This time around, we want to set the standard with the use of NIMS,” he quoted Mr Fatodu as saying.

Speaking further, Mr Omotoso said the NIMS would serve as a verification tool, cross-checking athletes’ biodata against national records.

He added that Fatodu had emphasised that the measure would eliminate age falsification, a recurring challenge in youth sports, and guarantee fairness across all events.

He added that the LOC had also stressed that adopting NIMS reflected Lagos’ commitment to transparency and credibility in sports administration.

“By leveraging national identity infrastructure, the games aim not only to discover genuine talents, but also to set a new benchmark for youth competitions in Nigeria.

“With this initiative, Eko 2026 is positioned as a trailblazer in combining sports development with digital governance.

“It will also ensure that the maiden edition of the competition is remembered for both its athletic excellence and integrity,” Mr Omotoso said.

(NAN)