The Nigerian military delegation to the Invictus Games 2025 in Vancouver, Canada, has returned home with six medals, despite visa denials by the Canadian High Commission to a significant portion of the team. The athletes, all military personnel injured in battle, were welcomed at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) in Abuja on Wednesday by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, and other senior military officials.
Nigeria: The Only African Nation at Invictus Games 2025
Addressing the team, the Director of Sports at DHQ, Air Vice Marshal Nanjuly Kumzhi, emphasized the historic significance of Nigeria’s participation, noting that Nigeria was the only African country represented at the global sporting event.
He further revealed that Nigeria will participate in the next edition of the games, scheduled to hold in Birmingham in 2027.
Visa Denial Challenges & Medal Wins
Kumzhi lamented the visa denial of several team members by the Canadian High Commission in Abuja, stating that only 14 out of the invited 25-man team were granted visas.
“The team was initially demoralized because key members, including the team captain and physiotherapist, were denied visas. However, we persevered and proudly returned with six medals,” he stated.
Despite the setback, the Nigerian delegation secured:
- 1 Gold Medal
- 1 Silver Medal
- 4 Bronze Medals
AVM Kumzhi commended the resilience of the athletes, saying, “Despite the unfair treatment meted out on us by the embassy, we still performed exceptionally and made Nigeria proud.”
