NSF exclusion: Deaf athletes plan fresh protest on October 26

The Nigeria's deaf athletes have announced a fresh protest for October 26 over their exclusion from the National Sports Festival, according to PUNCH. Their leader, Badmus Nurudeen, revealed this during a press conference at the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos, after waiting for hours to meet with Adeyinka Adeboye. The Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Grassroots Sports Development had promised to address their concerns but failed to do so, leaving the athletes furious.

Nurudeen emphasized that they would not relent until their sports are included in the festival. He highlighted how their families struggle to make ends meet, underscoring that many of them are married with children, making sports their sole source of income. He also denounced discrimination, stating that they should not be treated as second-class citizens or subject to discrimination in national matters.

The athletes have been protesting since October 19, and Adeboye has promised to speak with relevant authorities about their issue. This protest marks the fourth time deaf sports have been removed from the festival since its inception in 1996, according to Emmanuel Audu, the Assistant Technical Director of the Nigeria Deaf Sports Federation. He noted that deaf sports were once compulsory but are now optional without a clear explanation.