NYG 2025: Edo Disqualified, Abia Upgraded to Bronze in Boys’ Rugby Sevens

By Arinzechi Chukwunonso

In a dramatic turn of events at the ongoing 2025 National Youth Games (NYG), the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF) has stripped Edo State of its Boys’ Rugby Sevens bronze medal for fielding an ineligible player.

The ruling has officially elevated Abia State to the bronze medal position, while Kano and Delta States retain their gold and silver medals, respectively.

The decision was reached by the NRFF’s Judicial/Disciplinary Committee, which found Edo guilty of breaching eligibility rules. According to findings, Edo paraded a player who had earlier been screened out by the National Youth Games Screening Committee.

The breach was initially flagged during the pool stage by Imo State, which lodged a protest against Edo’s inclusion of the ineligible player. Although Imo State later withdrew from the tournament, the Main Organising Committee (MOC) upheld the protest and nullified the Edo–Imo result.

Despite the controversy, Edo progressed through the tournament and eventually defeated Abia in the bronze medal match. However, following the conclusion of the event, Abia State formally petitioned for the medal, insisting that Edo’s participation was illegitimate.

After a full review, the NRFF ruled that:

Edo State stands disqualified from the tournament.

All matches involving the ineligible player are forfeited.

The bronze medal is officially awarded to Abia State.

The Federation explained that its decision is consistent with World Rugby regulations and international Olympic precedent, which dictate that when a team is disqualified, medals are reassigned to the next eligible team without replaying matches.

NRFF also ordered Edo State to return the bronze medals and accreditations, confirming that a formal medal re-presentation ceremony will be held in Abia’s favour.

Speaking on the ruling, an NRFF official emphasized:

“This is a clear signal to all participating teams that eligibility rules are sacrosanct. Any attempt to undermine the integrity of our competitions by fielding ineligible players will be met with immediate disqualification.”

Looking ahead, the Federation announced plans to enforce stricter pre-match ID checks and team-sheet verifications in future competitions to avoid a repeat of such incidents.

The ruling takes immediate effect but remains subject to the NYG’s general right of appeal to the MOC within the stipulated timeframe.