Nigeria to become first African nation to compete in Invictus Games
Nigeria will become the first African nation to compete in the Invictus Games after being confirmed as one of the 22 countries set to take part in this year's games in Düsseldorf, Germany.
The West African nation plans to send 10 athletes to the games where they will be hoping to compete in athletics, indoor rowing, powerlifting, sitting volleyball and wheelchair basketball.
The Invictus Games is an international multi-sport event founded by the Duke of Sussex for wounded, injured or sick service personnel and veterans.
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The Invictus Games Foundation said Nigeria is taking part in the games "thanks to the recognition of the impact of sports recovery on the community in Nigeria".
Nigeria joined the Invictus Community of Nations in 2022 and have since had the opportunity to take part in a number of sporting events, the foundation said.
Nigerian Corporal Effiom Antigha, who participated in the Invictus Endeavours Sport Recover Week last year, said that Invictus has "impacted my life greatly".
He said: "In the past, I felt I was making no progress in my recovery, and I was in a bad place mentally until I was introduced to sport recovery.
"There I discovered things I could still do, things like wheelchair basketball, golf and sitting volleyball which I excelled in so I will say Invictus has impacted my life greatly.
"In my community now, I am helping other wounded soldiers and also introducing them to sports because my road to recovery and self-confidence started with Invictus.”
We are super excited to announce that Nigeria will attending The Invictus Games Dusseldorf 2023 as the First African Nation! pic.twitter.com/m0NftO8oQj
— Invictus Nigeria 🇳🇬 (@invictusgamesNG) February 9, 2023
CEO of the Invictus Games Foundation, Dominic Reid, added: "Such was the impact of the opportunities we provide, including within Nigeria, and the support of senior military stakeholders, that we felt the team there were ready and well prepared for joining an Invictus Games.
"I am delighted that an invitation has now been issued for a team of ten wounded, injured or sick service personnel and veterans to attend the Games as the first African nation to do so."
The 2023 Invictus Games are set to take place in Düsseldorf between 9-16 September.
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