Breaking: Basketball in wheelchair elevated to mandatory sport at the National Sports Festival

In a strong sample of support for the inclusion and development of Paraports, the OGUN state government has officially selected wheelchair basketball as one of its five optional sports for the next National Sports Festival 2024, “Theme games”.

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This decision was confirmed during the extra ordinary meeting of the National Sports Council held today in Abeokuta.

Although the festival demands 27 mandatory sports, the host state has the right to choose five additional optional sports, which takes the total number of events to 32. The state of Ogun has made a historical movement by including wheelchair basketball in its alignment.

The president of the Nigeria Basketball Federation in wheelchair (NWBF), Seyi Johnson, praised the choice of the host state, calling him a great step forward for disability sports in Nigeria.

“This is a proud moment for us,” Johnson said. “Wheelhating basketball has proven to be a medal winning sport and a symbol of resilience and talent. We are grateful to Ogun State for recognizing its value and giving our athletes the platform they deserve.”

It is expected that the inclusion of wheelchair basketball will call national attention to more states to invest in Paraport programs.

The “Gateway Games” are scheduled for May 16 to 30, 2025, and are being perfected to be one of the most inclusive and competitive editions of the National Sports Festival so far.

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