Jeonbuk Provincial Sports Festival and Disabled Sports Festival "See You in Iksan Next Year"

Cancellation of National Sports for All Festival, Start of Preparations for Provincial Sports Festival

Panoramic View of Iksan Sports Complex

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Hong Jae-hee] The ‘58th Jeollabuk-do Residents Sports Festival’ and the ‘Jeollabuk-do Disabled Sports Festival’ will be held in Iksan, Jeonbuk, a city centered on sports.

According to Iksan City on the 8th, the ‘58th Jeollabuk-do Residents Sports Festival’ and the ‘Jeollabuk-do Disabled Sports Festival,’ the largest sports festivals in Jeonbuk Province, will each take place over three days in Iksan next May.

The 58th Jeollabuk-do Residents Sports Festival will involve about 10,000 athletes and officials, with 37 events including the opening and closing ceremonies centered around the main stadium, Iksan Sports Complex. The Jeollabuk-do Disabled Sports Festival will have about 2,700 participants competing in 25 events.

The city canceled the National Sports for All Festival, which was scheduled to be held this year, considering the safety of participating athletes due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

As a result, the goal of hosting large-scale sports events for four consecutive years starting with the 2018 National Sports Festival was disrupted, but the sports enthusiasm can continue with the hosting of the Residents Sports Festival and Disabled Sports Festival next year.

The city plans to lead next year’s sports festivals as the best events based on its accumulated know-how and infrastructure, having successfully hosted the largest sports events in the country.

The specific dates of the events are currently undecided and will be determined officially by Jeollabuk-do Province and the Provincial Sports Council.

Mayor Jeong Heon-yul said, “It is regrettable that the 2020 National Sports for All Festival was canceled,” and added, “Next year, we will work hard with citizens to successfully hold the Residents Sports Festival and Disabled Sports Festival without worries about COVID-19.”