Sports Minister Abdulla Rafiu has stated that it is necessary to determine which age groups will participate in competitive tournaments versus festivals in school sports.

Concerns have been raised by parents, coaches, and some individuals in the sports sector following the removal of the Under-14 age category from school sports tournaments.

During a press conference at the President’s Office today, Minister Abdulla Rafiu said that a consultative meeting is scheduled for tomorrow with sports associations and the Ministry of Education regarding school sports tournaments. He noted that discussions are already ongoing between the two ministries on the matter.

He clarified that no decision has been made to exclude any age group of the school stage from participating in sports.

"We also want to mandate it in a specific way. At what age group will they play in a festival format, and at what age group will they play in inter-school competitive tournaments. This is what we are currently discussing," Rafiu said.

He further stated that it must be determined what the maximum and minimum number of sports a single child can participate in should be. He also mentioned that they would discuss the procedures for involving children in both team sports and individual sports.

The Minister explained that children acquire different skills from different sports. Therefore, he emphasized that festivals and competitive tournaments must be designated for specific age groups.

"For example, if it is under 12 years, they need to be involved in various sports. That is because different skills are developed through different sports. Therefore, at a young age, children must be involved in various activities. However, a specific age group must be determined for playing at a competitive level," Rafiu said.

The Minister noted that because this academic year differs from others, previous discussions were held on conducting sports activities in a way that maximizes academic days as much as possible.