Abuja, Nigeria
CNN
—
Nigeria will compete in the biennial Paralympic-style Invictus Games set up by Britain’s Prince Harry for soldiers wounded in service, the foundation announced Thursday.
become nigeria First African participant Join 21 other nations in a series of adaptive sports in the city of Düsseldorf, Germany. Over 500 participants are expected for the sixth edition of the week-long sporting event.
west african country Join the Invictus Community of Nations Last year, alongside Colombia and Israel.
All three nations will make their debut at this year’s sporting event.
Corporal Efiom Antiga, captain of Team Nigeria, told CNN he was thrilled to participate in the September games.
“Until now, I never thought I would be able to participate in these sporting activities, so I am very happy.”
“The Invictus Foundation has helped me grow both physically and mentally,” added Antiga, 30.
“Before joining Invictus, I had never heard of sitting volleyball. When I saw that I could tackle the sport without straining my limbs, I felt great. ‘s spirit is uplifted,” he said.
“I can now go to the gym for an upper body workout, something I haven’t done since my injury.”
Antiga, who broke his kneecap during a novelty football game hosted by the Army Corps in 2019, said he was looking forward to meeting injured servicemen from other countries.
“I want to hear them, I want to compete with them,” he told CNN.
Nigerian national team Bobby Ogier’s team manager told CNN that 10 slots have been allocated for Nigeria and selection of team members has begun.
“The 10 are going to participate in different sports,” said Ogier, who said he hopes the Nigerian team will compete in categories such as wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, powerlifting and rowing.
“We have professional coaches who train men in these sports,” he said, adding that participants will be at the game with friends and family.
Participants are selected from a pool of 35 wounded soldiers supported by charities.
Invictus Games, which started in 2014 to help rehabilitate wounded soldiers, previously hosted UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Netherlands.
The winners and runners-up in the Invictus Games sports division will be awarded medals, but organizers say the event is not about winning medals, but helping veterans on the road to recovery. It’s meant to help.
Invictus Games Foundation Chief Executive Officer Dominic Reid OBE said in a press statement that Nigeria was “delighted” to be invited to participate in the game.
“With the impact of the opportunities we offer, including within Nigeria, and the support of senior military stakeholders, teams there feel ready and well-prepared to participate in the Invictus Games. I did,” he added.
General Lucky Irabor, Nigeria’s Defense Chief of Staff, said Invictus’ sport for recovery program is impacting injured and sick military personnel in the country.
“Since joining the Invictus Community of Nations, I have seen recovery sports begin to impact people who have been injured or become ill on the job and those around them. ”
