Deaf Sports Leaders Urge Government to Include Athletes in Upcoming Festival

Stakeholders in Deaf sports are upset that Deaf athletes were left out of the Enugu 2026 National Sports Festival. They are asking the Federal Government to step in and make sure these athletes can join the Games, The PUNCH reports.

Alhaji Suleiman Dagbo, the President of the Nigeria Deaf Sports Federation, said the official list of sports for the festival, named the Coal City Games and set to happen in Enugu from November 27 to December 11, 2026, does not include Deaf Sports among the 27 required sports. He pointed out that this is different from the Gateway Games held in Abeokuta in 2024, which included Deaf Sports.

Dagbo explained that since 2014, the federation has been working with the Ministry of Sports and other groups to have Deaf Sports recognized as a required sport, saying it meets the criteria under Rule 11.

He noted that their efforts paid off at a National Council on Sports meeting on May 22, 2024, in Enugu State. At that meeting, the council approved the inclusion of up to three selected Deaf Sports in the list of required sports. This decision was included in the National Sports Festival General Rules for that year and future editions.

A copy of the General Rules and Regulations for the 22nd National Sports Festival, the Gateway Games in Ogun State in 2024, shows Deaf Sports listed as the seventh of 29 required sports. Athletics, Badminton, and Table Tennis were selected as the three disciplines in that category.

But Dagbo said this decision was changed at an extraordinary National Council on Sports meeting in Abeokuta in April 2025. "We see this as reversing a valid council decision without proper consultation with the federation involved," Dagbo said.

He mentioned that the federation had sent formal letters to the National Sports Commission and appealed to the National Council on Sports. Unfortunately, they have not received a formal reply, and the commission has not met with the federation about the issue.

Dagbo shared that over 300 Deaf athletes from 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory could be affected. During the Gateway Games in 2024, 124 Deaf athletes from 22 states took part and won 100 medals, including 28 gold, 28 silver, and 42 bronze across 15 states.

He is asking the Federal Government to add Deaf Sports to the Enugu Games by including the three disciplines in the current events, similar to how Para Sports are included. He wants Deaf Sports reinstated as a required sport in the NSF General Rules for all future editions.

"Para Sports are already combined with able-bodied events in the 27 required sports, yet they have separate federations. Excluding Deaf Sports, which has over 10 years of advocacy and proven participation, while including newer Para disciplines, creates an unfair situation," he said.

Hon. Omopariola Busuyi, a former council member representing the South-West zone at the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, said Deaf athletes have been preparing for the festival for two years. They only found out about their exclusion on August 31 and have mostly funded their own preparations due to lack of government support.

"The athletes have been spending their own money on food, transport, and buying other necessary equipment. The government does not provide support," Busuyi told The PUNCH.

He added that the National Sports Festival is key for Deaf athletes. It gives them a chance to show their talents and find ways to earn a living from sports.

Emmanuel Audu, a coach and technical representative on the NDSF board, said not being included in the festival would deny Deaf athletes opportunities for developing their talents and moving up to national and international competitions. He noted that national scouts attend the NSF to look for talent for national teams. He mentioned that uncertainty about their participation has affected training, with some athletes taking on low-paying jobs to support themselves.

"Uncertainty hurts training. When a sport is changed from required to optional without talking to anyone, coaches cannot plan, states cannot budget, and athletes wonder, 'Why should I train if there is no event?" he told our correspondent.

Badmus Nurudeen, a former national deaf athletics champion and captain, said many Deaf athletes have been paying for their transport to training. He warned that not being included in Enugu could harm athletes who rely on opportunities with state sports commissions for career growth and jobs.

"We are asking for equal treatment and equal opportunity. Give us the chance to compete, and let our performance show what we can do. Deaf athletes are Nigerians too," he told The PUNCH.

The stakeholders are appealing to President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of Sports Development, the Director-General of the National Sports Commission, and the Enugu 2026 Organising Committee to look into the situation and let Deaf athletes compete.