NIGERIA’S Minister of Sports, Senator John Eno, has threatened sanctions against anyone found culpable in the mixup resulting in the exclusion of sprinter Favour Ofili from the 100m race in the ongoing Paris Olympic Games.
Favour Ofili had late last night posted on social media that she would not be competing in the 100m at the Olympics due to administrative failures by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC).
Eighteen-Eleven Media gathered that despite meeting the qualification standard, her entry was not submitted by the AFN and the NOC.
The Louisiana State University (LSU) Track and Field alumni tweeted at about 10 pm Tuesday thus: “It is with great regret that I have just been told I will not be competing in the 100 metres at this Olympic Games. I qualified, but those with the AFN and NOC failed to enter me. I have worked for four years to earn this opportunity. For what?”
Despite qualifying for the event, Ofili disclosed that the officials did not enter her, marking a repeat of the previous Olympics, Tokyo 2020.
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……
“If those responsible are not held accountable for taking this opportunity from me, neither organisation can ever be trusted in the future! The next one is the 200 metres. I hope I’m entered.”
The 21-year-old sprinter was entered for the 100m, 200m, 400m, 100×100 relay and duly secured her place in the women’s 200m event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Ofili was one of 10 Nigerian athletes declared ineligible for the Olympics by the Athletics Integrity Unit because they were not tested rigorously enough in the run-up to Tokyo 2020.
However, reacting to the unpleasant development today, Senator Eno said upon hearing Ofili’s distress this morning, he reached out to the AFN, According to him, 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.
“Ofili has been in the top eight at the World Championships. She is a Commonwealth Games silver medalist, an African Games champion, a former World U20 champion, and an African Senior Athletics Championships champion in the 200m.”
Senator Eno said that as a Minister of Sports; he would not tolerate “this utter recklessness. It is highly inexcusable, and there will be thorough 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.
“As an immediate measure, the Athletic Federation of Nigeria and the Nigeria Olympic Committee must ensure that Favour 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.”
Eighteen-Eleven Media