By Victor Kanayo
Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili has disclosed that she won’t be competing in the women’s 100m at the 2024 Olympics after the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) failed to enter her name despite qualifying.
Ofili is one of Nigeria’s brightest prospects in the athletics events of the Olympics.
Ofili who competes in the 100m and 200m events was supposed to fly the country’s flag along with Tima Godbless and Rosemary Chukwuma in the 100m but, according to her, failure by AFN, NOC, and the National Anti-Doping Committee (NADC) to register her for the event has cost her the spot.
Athlete’s Rage
She took to social media to express her disappointment on Tuesday night.
She wrote: “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 my name. I have worked for 4 years to earn this opportunity. For what? to not be entered and compete at the Olympic Games because the responsible organization failed to enter me?
“Please remember, in the last Olympic Games I was not able to compete because AFN, NADC and NOC failed to release funds for athletes in the USA to be tested, which made 14 Nigerian athletes that qualified not to compete. Now THIS. If those responsible are NOT held accountable for taking this opportunity from me, neither organization can EVER be trusted in the future!
“Next one is the 200meters, I hope I’m entered.”
Ofili and several other Nigerian athletes also missed out on Tokyo 2020 due to being disqualified by the Athletics Integrity Unit.
In Defence
Responding, AFN through a statement by its technical director Samuel Onikeku said it is in shock on why the name of sprinter got missing from the 100m event.
He said, “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.”
Ofili ran 11.06 at the Nigerian Olympics Trials in Benin City to secure her place among the 56 athletes that will compete at the Paris Olympics.
She has competed in more 100m races this season than the 200m and ran two wind-aided times of 10.85sec and 10.78secs. Z
