Paris 2024: Annoyance in the Land as Sports Minister, AFN Indict NOC on Ofili Saga

Femi Solaja

Following the distress messages posted on the x-platform (formerly Twitter) by aspiring Nigerian Olympic medallist, Favour Ofili, over her exclusion from the 100m women’s race at the Paris 2024 Olympics, a lot of stakeholders are calling for severe punishment against the official(s) found guilty of the admirative blunder.

The Sports Minister, John Enoh had yesterday reacted via his verified X account where he absolved his ministry of complicity but maintained that the culprit must be brought to book.

The tweet under two hours had 386k views, 1,375 reposts, 2,885 likes and 750 comments and the high point of many Nigerians that reacted was that the matter should not be swept under the carpet just like it happened at the last Olympic Games in Tokyo when the same Ofili and nine others were declared ineligible for the Olympics by the Athletics Integrity Unit because they were not tested rigorously enough in the run-up to Tokyo 2020.

According to the Minister yesterday, “On July 28, 2024, as Minister of Sports Development, I visited and addressed Team Nigeria athletes at the Games Village in Paris. It was a no-holds-barred session. Thereafter, I had my usual personal interaction with the athletes to allow them to express their concerns directly to me, which has been my tradition as Minister of Sports. In addition, I have continued to encourage athletes to reach me directly on any concerns. 

“In hindsight, when Ofili had issues at the African Championships in Douala, I reached out to get her side of the story, and this time, it hasn’t been different. Favour Ofili reached me directly, expressing her concern for her race. Immediately I called Professor Ken Anugweje, the lead of the Ministerial Podium Performance Committee, to ensure that Ofili’s issues were thoroughly addressed.

“He got back to me shortly after to say he was in touch with the 1st Vice President of NOC, Chief Solomon Ogba, and that the matter was being handled.

“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. 

“Ofili has been in the top eight at the World Championships. She is a Commonwealth Games silver medallist, an African Games champion, a former World U20 champion, and an African Senior Athletics Championships champion in the 200m.

“As Minister of Sports, I will 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,” the minister stated in his tweet.

In its reaction, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) said that it registered Ofili for 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay.

The federation noted that it was shocking that the athlete’s name went missing from the 100m event of the Paris 2024 Olympics.

“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,” AFN Technical Director, Samuel Onikeku, said in a message to AFN Media. 

It was gathered that the AFN submitted Ofili’s name for the three events on the final list it sent to the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC) for the Paris Olympics. It was not clear how her name was eventually left out in the 100m event. 

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. 

Ofili had taken to her social media page to express her anger and disgust.

 “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,” she noted.

So far, there has not been any official reaction from NOC on the matter.

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