.NSC insists on 15 sports

The Forum of State Directors of Sports/General Managers in the country has declared its readiness to boycott the 2026 National Sports Festival, tagged Coal City Games, if the National Sports Commission (NSC) fails to return the Traditional Sports, as well as some Olympic Sports and Board Games, earlier removed from the festival.

But the NSC is maintaining its stance, saying that only 15 sports and six optional games will feature at the Coal City Games.

In a letter tagged Position of Forum of State Directors of Sports/General Managers, issued by its secretary, Tunde Ajibike, (Director Of Sports, Oyo State), made available to The Guardian, said: “Having deliberated extensively on the issue of the reduction in the number of sports for the forthcoming National Sports Festival in Enugu (Coal City 2026), hereby states it is important to note that the NSC did not align with the resolution reached at the Calabar meeting, where it was expressly agreed that State Directors of Sports would be actively involved in the decision-making process regarding the selection of sports for the Festival. This agreement was not honoured.   Consequently, the Directors of Sports were excluded from the selection process, and we strongly oppose this action in its entirety.

“The Forum unequivocally maintains that the Traditional Sports, as well as some Olympic Sports and Board Games that were removed, must be reinstated. Failure to do so will compel the Directors of Sports/General Managers across the country to withdraw participation from the Festival.

“We further state that the NSC does not directly manage athletes and coaches at the state level and may not fully appreciate the extensive processes, planning, and resources required to train and prepare athletes throughout the year. It is therefore unacceptable that, after such investments and preparations, certain sports are arbitrarily removed, with assurances of alternative arrangements that are neither clear nor credible.

“Another issue of concern is the suggestion that participation in the Para Games serves as a qualification criterion for the National Sports Festival. The Forum queries whether there is any statutory provision supporting this claim. Additionally, it is necessary to consider whether adequate mobilisation and support were provided to enable states to participate in the Para Games, given the rigorous processes required to secure approvals from respective State Governments.

“In the spirit of unity, the Forum aligns with the earlier communiqué already in circulation and maintains its position until the NSC addresses these concerns appropriately.

“For the avoidance of doubt, if the host state, Enugu, lacks the facilities to accommodate all approved sports, the hosting rights should be reconsidered and awarded to any other state that is adequately prepared, as has been done in the past.

“The Directors of Sports, as critical stakeholders in sports development in Nigeria, will not support policies that undermine the growth of sports. Rather, we remain committed to initiatives that promote and strengthen sports development nationwide. The current actions of the NSC suggest that states are being taken for granted, a situation we can no longer accept.

“We reiterate that the interests of athletes and coaches—whom we represent—must be protected at all times,” the secretary said.

In another development, following the reduction of the number of sports, some Northern States have threatened to stay away from the Coal City 2026 Games.
This is coming on the heels of a similar threat to boycott by some South-south States who are also not happy with scale down of sports events for Coal City Games.

Speaking at the weekend, Niger State Sports Commission chairman Abdullahi Masu described as ‘unjustifiable and detrimental to sports development’ the decision by the NSC to reduce the number of sporting events from 40 to 15.

Masu noted that northern states, including Niger, have already invested significant resources over the years in training athletes for the now-excluded events.
He argued that the decision would marginalise the region, which traditionally has a comparative advantage in several team sports.

According to him, participation in the festival under such conditions would amount to a waste of public funds, as many athletes would be denied the opportunity to compete.
He further lamented that several popular and foundational team sports—such as handball, volleyball, basketball, football, and hockey—have been removed from the festival lineup.

He warned that the exclusion of these events could lead to increased unemployment among athletes and undermine grassroots sports development.

Masu described the decision as a setback to national sports growth and called for its immediate reversal.
He urged the NSC to review and expand the list of events to accommodate broader participation and safeguard the interests and welfare of athletes.

Meanwhile, the Director General of the NSC, Bukola Olopade has described as “unfortunate” the action by those calling for the reversal of the decision reached at the last National Council of Sports Meeting in Calabar.

Speaking with The Guardian, Olopade said: “It is sad that some people don’t understand the present reality of things. To host the National Sports Festival is expensive and the NSC is trying to make things easy for the host states. This is not new. Even at the Olympics Games level, the number of sports were reduced from 35 50 25, and there was nothing like protest. When last did our handball, volleyball, and other sports qualify for the Olympic Games?

“We can no longer accommodate all these ball games in the National Sports Festival. We have asked president of the affected sports federations to come up with two of three yearly programmes, which the NSC is ready to support financially. You don’t need to wait for the National Sports Festival before you organise events for your federation. We are going on with 15 sports at the Coal City Games,” Olopade stated.