Invited Diaspora Athletes Will Compete At 2026 Intermediate Games In Lagos – Olopade

The National Sports Commission (NSC) has announced that a new team, the “Invited Diaspora Athletes” (IDA), will make its inaugural appearance at the first National Intermediate Games, set to take place in Lagos later this year. The IDA will compete as the 38th ‘state’ in the multi-sport event.

This initiative is a cornerstone of the NSC’s ‘Renewed Hope Initiative for Nigeria’s Sports Economy’ (RHINSE), a series of reforms championed by Mallam Shehu Dikko and Hon. Bukola Olopade.

Hon. Bukola Olopade, Director General of the NSC, confirmed in a statement released on Tuesday via his media aide, Kola Daniel, that the newly established Diaspora Discovery Athletes Committee, chaired by Tunde Adelakun, has already seen substantial interest from Nigerians abroad keen to represent their home nation.

“We are incredibly excited about this initiative due to its immediate and long-term impact on our sports development,” stated Olopade. “At the Intermediate Games in Lagos, we anticipate around 50 athletes from the Diaspora competing for IDA. This will undoubtedly be a significant game-changer for Nigerian sports, enhancing Team Nigeria’s competitive edge in major international competitions.”

Tunde Adelakun, Chairman of the Diaspora Discovery Athletes Committee, affirmed the IDA team’s readiness for both the Intermediate Games and future national competitions, praising the NSC for its forward-thinking approach.

“We are currently establishing a training camp in Europe for all the Invited Diaspora Athletes, from which we will select the team for the Intermediate Games,” Adelakun explained. “The athletes are genuinely looking forward to this, as it marks an unprecedented moment in our nation’s sporting history.”

This move follows the successful participation of the “Invited Junior Athletes” (IJA) at the 22nd National Sports Festival in Ogun State last year, where they competed as the 37th state and secured several medals. The IDA aims to replicate this success at the Intermediate Games.