… as Nigeria’s Sports Minister blows hot
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has insisted that Favour Ofili was registered for three events (100m, 200m, and the women’s 4x100m relay).
Ofili raised the alarm on Tuesday night, accusing the Nigeria Olympic Committee and the AFN of failing to register her.
“It is with great regret that I have just been told I will not be competing in the 100 meters at this Olympic Games. I qualified, but those with the AFN and NOC failed to enter me. I have worked for 4 years to earn this opportunity. For what,” Ofili lamented.
She added, “Please remember, in the last Olympic Games, I was not able to compete because AFN, NADC and NOC failed to release funds for athletes to be tested, which made 14 Nigerian athletes that qualified to not compete. Now this……”
In a statement obtained by www.aclsports, the Technical Director, Samuel Onikeku expressed shock over the non-inclusion of Favour Ofili by the Nigeria Olympic Committee.
“We registered Ofili for the 100m, 200m and the 4x100m relay. We don’t know how her name got missing in the 100m. This is our stand as a federation” Onikeku said via AFN Media.
Sports Minister, Senator John Enoh blows hot
The Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, has said he will probe the exclusion of Nigerian athlete, Favour Ofili, from the 100m Women’s event at the ongoing Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Reacting in a statement, the minister said the “Athletic Federation of Nigeria and the Nigeria Olympic Committee must ensure that Ofili is not deprived of the opportunity to compete in the races for which she is qualified and registered to represent the country at the Paris Olympics. She is committed to proving her mettle.”
He vowed appropriate “sanctions after investigations into where and from whom this gross negligence originated.”
“All parties must take their duties very seriously. The current way of operating the Federal Ministry of Sports Development does not allow for incompetence at any level,” Enoh said.
He said, “Upon hearing Ofili’s distress this morning, I reached out to the Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN). The Technical Director, Samuel Onikeku, stated categorically that Favour Ofili was registered for the 100m, 200m, and the 4x100m relay.
“The Secretary General of AFN has also insisted that the final list forwarded by her to NOC (the only body the International Olympic Committee receives the final list of athletes from), had Ofili listed for the 100m as well. I am in touch with the President of the NOC on this and await his explanation”.
