RismadarVoice Reporters
October 20, 2026
Deaf athletes in Nigeria have protested their exclusion from the 2026 National Sports Festival, demanding equal opportunities to compete alongside other athletes at the forthcoming sporting event in Enugu State.
The protesters gathered at the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos, on Monday, October 19, where they called on the Federal Government and the National Sports Commission to reverse the decision.
Led by national deaf sports captain Badmus Nurudeen, the athletes reportedly blocked the stadium entrance early Monday to draw attention to their grievances.
They questioned why events for the festival programme retained r athletes with other disabilities had been while excludingrts were excmonstration attracted the attention of the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Grassroots Sports Development, Adeyinka Adeboye, who pledged to engage relevant sports authorities.
Adeboye reportedly assured the protesters that their concerns would be communicated to the Director-General of the National Sports Commission, Bukola Olopade, and the President of the Paralympic Committee of Nigeria, Sunday Odebode.
A follow-up meeting with representatives of the deaf sports community was proposed for Thursday, October 22, at the National Stadium.
However, Nurudeen expressed concern that preparations for the festival were already advanced, urging authorities to act promptly.
The Assistant Technical Director of the Nigeria Deaf Sports Federation, Emmanuel Audu, described the exclusion as a recurring problem that had affected athletes’ preparations and opportunities.
He argued that competitive sports provided an important source of livelihood for many deaf athletes, some of whom face barriers to employment.
Audu also alleged that previous arrangements recognising deaf sports as compulsory events had been reversed without adequate consultation.
Lagos State deaf athletics coach Lanre Agboola said athletes had trained consistently since January in anticipation of participating in the festival.
Deaf table tennis player Taiwo Olatunji similarly expressed disappointment, insisting that athletes with hearing impairments deserved fair access to national sporting competitions.
The protests extended beyond Lagos, with deaf sports stakeholders also demonstrating in Benin City, Edo State.
Separately, the Nigeria Deaf Football Association announced plans for demonstrations in Abuja over unpaid allowances and bonuses allegedly owed to players following the 2023 World Deaf Football Championship in Malaysia.
The 2026 National Sports Festival, branded the Coal City Games, is scheduled to take place in Enugu from November 27 to December 11.
The athletes are seeking a review of the competition programme before the festival begins.
Although Adeboye has promised to intervene, no official decision reinstating deaf sports has been announced.
