The President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, has commended Team Nigeria’s wrestlers for their patriotic display and spirited performances at the recently concluded 2026 World Wrestling Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, despite the country’s inability to secure a medal.
Adeniyi praised the athletes for their determination and commitment, noting that their impressive runs to the semi-final and knockout stages demonstrated Nigeria’s growing competitiveness on the global wrestling stage.
He expressed confidence that Nigeria would soon begin to reap medals at the world level, assuring that the federation was committed to providing the necessary support and enabling environment to help athletes achieve greater success.
The NWF President stressed that the country would always appreciate the sacrifices and efforts of its athletes in representing Nigeria, regardless of the eventual outcome of their participation in international competitions.
He acknowledged that winning medals at the world level does not happen overnight, adding that sustained investment, proper preparation, and consistent exposure to top-level competition remain critical to achieving the desired results.
According to him, the performances in Astana provided a valuable opportunity to assess the progress made by Nigerian wrestlers in recent years, while identifying areas that require improvement to close the gap with the world’s leading wrestling nations.
“I want to commend our wrestlers for their patriotism, determination, and commitment in representing Nigeria at the World Wrestling Championships. As a federation, we will always appreciate the sacrifices and efforts of our athletes in representing this country, irrespective of the outcome. What matters is their commitment to national assignment and determination to give their best,”
“Medals are important, but they are not won overnight. We must continue to invest in our athletes, expose them to quality international competitions, and ensure that they have the necessary support to compete favourably against the best in the world.” Adeniyi said.
He explained that the federation’s primary objective going into the championships was not solely to win medals but also to expose its athletes to the demands and intensity of elite international competition, which he described as essential to their long-term development.
The NWF boss further noted that Nigeria’s participation with 11 wrestlers, the highest number of athletes the country has ever presented at the World Wrestling Championships, was itself a significant milestone and a reflection of the federation’s ongoing efforts to expand the country’s presence and competitiveness in international wrestling.
