Compliance Concerns as 12 of 28 Sports Federations Secure International Approval

Compliance Concerns as 12 of 28 Sports Federations Secure International Approval

By Niyi Busari 

As Nigeria's national sports federations prepare for elective congresses scheduled to take place between June 2025 and January 2026, only 12 out of 28  federations have had their constitutions approved by their respective international governing bodies, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

This means, only these 12 sports federations will use their constitutions to conduct elections, while others use National Sports Commission guidelines.

This development raises concerns about the administrative readiness and compliance of several federations with international standards, a prerequisite often required for eligibility and recognition within global sports governance structures.

The 12 federations whose constitutions have received official ratification are:

Aquatic Sports

Archery

Athletics

Basketball

Boxing

Cycling

Gymnastics

Shooting

Table Tennis

Triathlon

Volleyball

Weightlifting

The approval of a national federation’s constitution by its international body is a critical step in aligning domestic governance with global best practices and ensuring transparent, democratic processes in leadership transitions.

As the election window approaches, other federations are under pressure to finalize and secure approval for their constitutions to avoid potential administrative or eligibility setbacks. 

Meanwhile, the sports federations without approved constitution will make use of the National Sports Commission's guidelines