National Sports Festival 2026: Directors of Sports Refute NSC Claim on Reduction of Events

By Seyifunmi Odunuga

A growing controversy has trailed the decision to drastically reduce the number of sports slated for the forthcoming National Sports Festival, tagged the Coal City 2026 Games in Enugu, as Directors of Sports across Nigeria have firmly denied claims that they endorsed the move.

The rebuttal follows a statement credited to the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Hon. Bukola Olopade, who, through his media aide Kola Daniel, asserted that the resolution to streamline the sports programme was unanimously agreed upon during a Council of Sports meeting held in Calabar. According to the NSC, stakeholders consented to reducing the number of sports from 33 to 15 compulsory events, alongside five optional sports for the 2026 festival.

However, multiple Directors of Sports and state sports administrators have strongly refuted this position, insisting that the decision was neither collectively agreed upon nor reflective of the resolutions reached at the Calabar meeting. They maintain that the NSC unilaterally imposed the reduction without adequate consultation.

One Director of Sports, who spoke under anonymity, expressed deep disappointment at the development, describing the decision as regressive and detrimental to the growth of Nigerian sports.

“With this decision, the NSC leadership appears to be dragging Nigerian sports backwards. At a time when we should be expanding opportunities for athletes, they are cutting them down. The National Sports Festival is a critical platform for talent discovery ahead of global competitions like the Olympics. Reducing the number of sports at this crucial time is unacceptable,” the official said.

It would be recalled that the NSC had earlier announced that only 15 compulsory sports would feature at the 2026 Games. The approved list includes Athletics, Para Athletics, Badminton, Para Badminton, Basketball, Wheelchair Basketball, Boxing, Cycling, Football, Judo, Gymnastics, Swimming, Table Tennis, Para Table Tennis, Tennis, Taekwondo, Mixed Martial Arts, Weightlifting, Para Powerlifting, and Wrestling.

Despite this lineup, stakeholders have raised serious concerns over the exclusion of several Olympic-recognized sports such as handball, volleyball, hockey, rugby, shooting, and canoeing. Board games like chess and scrabble have also been omitted, further fueling dissatisfaction among athletes and coaches.

Critics argue that the omissions undermine Nigeria’s preparedness for global competitions, particularly the 2028 Summer Olympics, where a broad range of sports—including handball, volleyball, hockey, rugby sevens, shooting, and canoeing—are expected to feature prominently.

Another sports administrator lamented the implications for athlete development:

“The list of sports is not encouraging. All Olympic sports should be represented at the festival. What happens to athletes and coaches who have been preparing for years? For instance, handball qualifiers are approaching. If the sport is excluded from the festival, how do we identify and prepare our best talents?”

Beyond the reduction in sports, stakeholders have also criticized what they described as a lack of robust programming by the NSC. Apart from the National Sports Festival, the National Youth Games, and the National Para Games, officials argue that there are limited structured competitions to sustain athlete development nationwide.

The mounting discontent has reportedly led to discussions among some states over a possible boycott of the 2026 Games if the decision is not revisited.