The football event of the 18th National Sports Festival opened yesterday with Adamawa walking over Plateau which had not arrive in Lagos as at the time of the match.

The opening game was scheduled for 8:00 a.m. In the second match of the male category, Delta also walked over Abia which also did not arrive in Lagos in time for their scheduled match at 10:00 a.m.

All the matches in the male category are being played at the Onikan Stadium.

Hosts, Lagos State, will take on Katsina at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, at the same venue.

Olushola Ogunnowo, Head, Friendly Matches Unit, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), said the two teams walked over did not notify the Football Event Committee of the Games on why they were absent.

Ogunnowo, Secretary, Nigeria Olympic Team Competitions Department of the NFA, said: "Currently, we have not heard a word about both teams who lost in the competition so far.

"We cannot say for certain whether or not they are still in the competition because they have not written formal letters to inform us about their present state.

"Maybe they are faced with logistics and funding problems, but I am not too sure about it," he said.

However, Elias Gora, Chairman, Sub-Committee on Accommodation and Welfare of the Main Organising Committee (MOC) told NAN that the Abia contingent later arrived as the last Team to the Games.

Their officials could not say what delayed them as they were still meeting the conditions for being admitted into the Games Village.

NAN