Date: 2020-10-21

Organisers of the second Governor Wike Pre-Season Football Tournament say COVID-19 safety protocols will be strictly adhered to during competition.

The tournament is scheduled for November 1 to 10 at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt, with eight top-flight clubs competing.

The teams are Lobi Stars, Abia Warriors, Plateau United, Kwara United, Rivers United, Gombe United, Niger Tornadoes and Nasarawa United.

Chairman of the tournament's organising committee, Bashir Badawiy, told The PUNCH, "We are hoping to organise a world-class pre-season tournament and we have put everything in place to strictly adhere to the government and National Centre for Disease Control protocols on COVID-19.

"Every club coming for the event must produce their COVID-19 certificates from the PTF or from the NCDC before they will be admitted into the tournament."

He added, "Why we decided to go with NPFL clubs is that most of them are almost done with their (COVID-19) testings, which is one of the rules for resumption by the LMC."

Rivers State Commissioner for Sports, Boma Iyaye, in an earlier media conference to herald the tourney, stated, "The ban on sports activities in Nigeria has been lifted, however, we must continue to observe COVID-19 protocols as prescribed by the NCDC and the Rivers State Ministry of Health."