The immediate past president of Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF), Honourable Daniel Igali has noted how the absence of his preferred sport at this year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland reduced the contingent’s chances of winning more medals.
Sports247 reports that, in the wake of Nigeria’s seventh place position on the final medals table (with 10 gold, 7 silver and 7 bronze), Igali said it was painful that the hosts opted for ‘an abridged edition’ of the multi-sports gathering.
Igali noted further that the absence of wrestling limited Nigeria’s medal haul to a verge large extent, as the country’s grapplers would have won many of their events, considering that they have always proven to be winners over the years.
Igali, who is now Bayelsa State Commissioner for Sports, also commended current innovations being enacted by the National Sports Commission (NSC), under the leadership of Mallam Shehu Dikko, with improved attention to athletes’ welfare and revitalising Nigeria’s sporting structure.
While recalling the NSC’s projection of 16 and 20 gold medals at Glasgow 2026, Igali pointed out that it could not be achieved because Team Nigeria presented fewer athletes and competed in only 10 sports, unlike previous editions that had wrestling included in the Games.
“Wrestling, one of Nigeria’s most reliable sources of Commonwealth gold medals, was absent from these Games. Over the last three editions, wrestling has averaged about three gold medals for Nigeria. That reality cannot simply be ignored. I also commend the leadership of National Sports Commission.
“Since its reconstitution, there has been renewed energy and purpose in Nigerian sports. The chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, and the director-general, Honourable Bukola Olopade, have provided visible leadership and have shown confidence in our athletes,” Igali submittted.
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