Deaf Athletes to Protest Exclusion from National Sports Festival

Nigeria's deaf athletes are set to protest on October 26 regarding their exclusion from the National Sports Festival. Captain Badmus Nurudeen announced the protest at the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos, after waiting for Adeyinka Adeboye, the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Grassroots Sports Development, who failed to keep a promise made to them.

Nurudeen expressed anger over the situation, stating that many athletes rely on sports for their livelihood and should not be treated as second-class citizens. This protest follows a previous demonstration on October 19, where Adeboye promised to address their concerns with key officials.

Emmanuel Audu, the Assistant Technical Director of the Nigeria Deaf Sports Federation, highlighted that deaf sports have been excluded from the festival multiple times since 1996 and criticized the lack of explanation for the recent changes. The festival, known as the Coal City Games, is scheduled to take place in Enugu from November 27 to December 11, 2026.