Wheelchair Basketball Not A Compulsory Sport At Gateway Games – Federation Clarifies
The Nigeria Wheelchair Basketball Federation has refuted circulating reports suggesting that wheelchair basketball has been elevated to a compulsory sport at the upcoming 2024 National Sports Festival in Ogun State.
In a statement issued by the federation’s president, Seyi Johnson, the claim was dismissed as false and a misrepresentation of the resolutions reached at the recently concluded Extraordinary National Council on Sports meeting in Abeokuta.
“I want to set the record straight wheelchair basketball was never listed by Ogun State as a compulsory sport for the Gateway Games,” Johnson said, urging media practitioners to verify their reports before publication to avoid misinformation.
He emphasised that wheelchair basketball remains an optional sport for the festival and that the official communique from the council meeting reflects this position.
Johnson, however, lauded the renewed vision of the National Sports Commission, pledging the federation’s full support for the ongoing reforms in the sector.
The 22nd edition of the National Sports Festival is scheduled to take place from May 16 to 30, 2025, in Ogun State.
