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From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar
The Chairman of the Cross River State Sports Commission, Lawrence Etta says the Queen’s Cup competition is a multi-sport grassroots development platform poised to discover and nurture young female athletes for the state.
Speaking at the official unveiling, Eta said the Queen’s Cup—an initiative of the wife of the state governor—has grown beyond a football tournament into a broader intervention.
“The Queens Cup is not just a tournament but designed to support vulnerable groups, including widows and the elderly, while using sports as a tool to promote inclusion and development.
“The Queen’s Cup is not just about winning trophies. It is about discovering talents and building a pipeline for future competitions.
“The competition represents a deliberate effort to create opportunities for the girl child through sports and we are building a system that will outlive individuals and continue to produce champions for Cross River State.”
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“The state government is already taking steps to formalize the initiative, with a bill expected to undergo a second reading at the Cross River State House of Assembly this March to establish the Queen’s Cup as a statutory foundation”, he said.
The chairman explained that while the first two editions focused primarily on football, the upcoming edition will feature seven additional sports, making it a multi-sport event.
He said the expansion is intended to serve as a feeder system for larger competitions, including regional and national events such as the Niger Delta Games and the National Sports Festival.
The competition, he added remains free for participants, with the state providing kits and logistics support.
The chairman noted that participation has grown steadily, from six teams in the maiden edition to 13 teams last year, expressing optimism that the upcoming edition would attract at least 36 teams from across the state.
In addition, he said an online registration system has been deployed to improve data collection and planning. Athletes and teams are expected to register via the commission’s website or submit physical forms, along with identification documents, to designated offices.
