The President of the Wheelchair Softball Federation of Nigeria (WSFN), Sunday Odion, has confirmed that the International Wheelchair Softball Federation has granted Nigeria hosting rights for a six-nation tournament.
This landmark event is set to take place in Africa for the first time, with the potential to expand to nine participating nations due to interest from countries like the United States, the Netherlands, and Japan.
Expanding Global Participation
Odion revealed the growing international interest in the tournament and its significance for both Nigeria and Africa as a whole.
“The international body has given us the hosting right to host a six-nation tournament. We are looking forward not just to host—that’s for Africa—but the US, the Netherlands, and Japan, they are all interested in coming,” he said.
“So at the end of the day, it may be a nine-nation tournament, and so many other countries are showing interest because this will be the first of its kind in Africa to host a major event.”
Focus on Local and Continental Development
One of the highlights of hosting the tournament is the technical assistance it will bring to Nigeria and other African nations.
Odion outlined the benefits, particularly in training coaches and officials locally at a reduced cost compared to overseas training programs.
“This will also come with the technical assistance from the International Federation to train our coaches,” Odion stated.
“For example, sending two coaches to the US for training, it will cost us more than them coming here to train us. So we can train 20, 40 coaches.”
He added, “And other African countries, they can also bring more coaches and officials that can be trained. So these are the benefits of you hosting in your country. It benefits both the athletes and, more importantly, the officials.”
Call for Support from Nigerians
Odion made a passionate appeal to Nigerians for support, highlighting the importance of investing in sports development across all disciplines.
“But we are counting on one million Nigerians who have considerable means to come to the aid of sport—not only softball alone but other sports,” he urged.
Significance of the Tournament
This event not only represents a major milestone for wheelchair softball but also underscores Nigeria’s role in promoting inclusive sports across Africa.
By hosting the tournament, Nigeria positions itself as a hub for adaptive sports development, offering opportunities for athletes, coaches, and officials across the continent.
The tournament, with its focus on capacity-building and international collaboration, set sights to leave a lasting legacy for wheelchair softball in Africa.
