Seven Ogun State Wushu Kungfu athletes have expressed deep disappointment after being excluded from the ongoing National Sports Festival in Abeokuta, despite winning the state trials and completing over a month of intensive training.
The athletes—Abdulrasheed Abdulazeez, Hassan Hashimu, Nworie Paul, Fatoye Eniola, Fatima Abdullahi, Maxwell Okwokwo, and Justice Unanka—said they were transported to the venue under the assumption that they had been registered to compete.
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It was only upon arrival that they were informed their names were not on the final list.
In a letter addressed to the Ogun State Commissioner for Sports Development through the Secretary of the Ogun State Wushu Kungfu Association, the athletes described the situation as unfair and distressing.
“We were shocked and dismayed to discover that our names were not registered for the competition,” the letter reads. “We won the trials, attended training camp, and invested our time, energy, and resources in full preparation.”
They are calling for an investigation into the omission, compensation for the effort and costs they incurred, and full recognition of their entitlements as athletes who had earned a place on the team.
The situation highlights ongoing concerns about administrative lapses at the Gateway Games Ogun 2024. Recently, caterers also protested alleged exclusion from feeding arrangements, citing last-minute changes despite initial agreements.
The National Sports Festival is known as Nigeria’s premier multi-sport event for discovering emerging talent and promoting national unity. This year’s edition features over 10,000 athletes across 33 sports, including a symbolic “38th state” for invited junior athletes.
While the festival is intended to unite the country through sport, these athletes say they feel sidelined by the very system meant to elevate their talent.
As the Games progress, they continue to wait—not for medals, but for answers.
