The Nigeria Deaf Sports Federation has denied the National Sports Commission's claim that it tried to blackmail them over the exclusion of Deaf Sports from the National Sports Festival. The federation insists it has valid reasons and facts to support its case, according to The PUNCH.
The federation shared its response in a statement signed by its President, Dagbo Suleiman Saka, on behalf of its board and athletes. This statement came after Deaf athletes protested in Lagos on Monday about being left out of the festival, which will take place in Enugu State from November 27 to December 11.
Michael Obasi, the Special Assistant on Media to the Director General of the commission, Bukola Olopade, defended the exclusion. He said the commission is using an Olympic-style approach where federations must show regular competitive activity in their states before qualifying for major events. He mentioned that funding issues also led to fewer sports being included.
“Rather than blackmail the sports commission, they should make genuine arguments for their sport,” Obasi said.
In response, the federation stated that it did not have any reason to blackmail the commission.
“We have no reason to blackmail the NSC, a government institution we respect. We have shown extreme patience and understanding,” the statement said.
The federation welcomed Obasi’s challenge and pointed out what it called proof of its activities. It noted it had organized the National Deaf Table Tennis Championships in Lagos and the National Deaf Football Championship in Jos over the past two years. It also mentioned hosting and winning the West Africa Deaf Athletics Championship and the West Africa Deaf Football Championship in Lagos and Abuja.
The federation accused the commission of giving mixed reasons for its decision. It said the Director General mentioned at the National Council on Sports meeting in Calabar that sports were cut down to follow international best practices and save costs, but now cited inactivity as the reason.
On the claim of inactivity, the federation blamed lack of funding.
“How can a Federation organize more activities when we submitted our annual budget as requested by the NSC every year, yet not a single kobo is released to the Federation to organize any program?” the statement read in part.
The federation also pointed out that Nigeria missed last year’s Tokyo Deaflympics due to a suspension by the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf over unpaid debts. They asked what happened to the Deaflympics budget.
Regarding the commission’s suggestion for engagement through official channels, the federation said it had tried everything. They mentioned that proposals for the fourth National Deaf Games, a Deaf sports manual, and a plan to honor retired Deaf athletes were ignored. Saka said he had waited for hours at the Director General’s office on several occasions without being seen.
“Deaf Sports has been on the Optional list since 1996,” the statement noted. It said the sport was moved to compulsory status in 2024 at the Calabar meeting, under the then Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh, and asked why this decision was reversed without consultation.
The federation expressed sadness that while Para Sports received five compulsory and two optional sports for the Enugu festival, Deaf Sports received none.
“Excluding us from our own National Sports Festival sends a very bad signal about Nigeria’s commitment to Equal Opportunity, Inclusion, and Human Rights to the international sports family,” the statement said.
The federation also mentioned that the Nigeria National Association of the Deaf, the Deaf Teachers Association of Nigeria, the Deaf Women Association of Nigeria, and the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities had written to the commission asking for inclusion but got no replies.
The federation demanded that Deaf Sports be immediately reinstated as a compulsory sport for the festival. They also questioned why Athletics, Badminton, and Table Tennis could not be combined with their Para and Deaf versions, similar to what was done under previous Directors in the commission.
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