Favour Ofili's exclusion from the Paris Olympics 100m event has sparked controversy. The Athletics Federation of Nigeria claims confusion over her registration, despite her qualifications. The athlete, who secured her spot during national trials, will still compete in the 200m and 4x100m relay events.
In a recent controversy surrounding the Paris Olympics, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has come under scrutiny after sprinter Favour Ofili accused the federation and the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) of failing to register her for the women’s 100m event. Ofili, the national champion, expressed her dismay on July 30, revealing that despite her qualification for the event, her name was not included in the official entry list. She lamented that her years of hard work had been undermined by this administrative oversight.
Samuel Onikeku, AFN’s Technical Director, responded to the allegations, stating that the federation is perplexed by the issue. According to Onikeku, Ofili was registered for the 100m, 200m, and the 4x100m relay, and the missing name in the 100m event was unexpected. A check of the World Athletics entry list confirmed that Ofili will participate in the 200m and 4x100m relay but not in the 100m.
The Athletics events at the Paris Games are set to commence on Thursday, with the men’s 20m race walk kicking off the proceedings. The situation highlights ongoing concerns about administrative efficiency and athlete representation in international sports events.
