Nigeria is set to participate in the 2026 Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship scheduled to hold in India next week, the country’s kabaddi leader, Daniel Damola, has confirmed.
Damola disclosed this during a visit to Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu in Calabar at the weekend, where he highlighted the importance of the competition to the development of the sport in Nigeria.
Kabaddi is a popular contact tean sport that originated in ancient India. It is played between two teams of seven players, where the main objective is for a single offensive player – called a ‘raider’ – to run into the opposing team’s half of the court, tag out as many of their defenders as possible, and return to their own half, all without being tackled and within a single breath.
He said participation would expose Nigerian athletes to international competition, improve their skills and encourage more young people to take up the sport.
Damola commended Otu for supporting the introduction and development of kabaddi in Cross River State, describing him as the first Nigerian governor to endorse the sport.
He said kabaddi, which is popular in several Asian countries, was gradually gaining ground in Africa.
The technical head of the team, Collins Eko, also commended the governor’s interest in sports, expressing confidence that the athletes would represent Nigeria and Cross River State well at the championship.
Otu pledged appropriate support for the Nigerian athletes ahead of the competition, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to sports development and youth empowerment.