Nigeria Minister of Sports Development John Owan Enoh don react to di allegation say di Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) comot sprinter Favour Ofili name from di Olympics 100m race.
Enoh say afta im speak wit Ofili ontop di mata, e also speak wit di AFN to find out wetin dey occur.
“Di Technical Director, Samuel Onikeku, state categorically say Favour Ofili bin dey registered for di 100m, 200m, and di 4x100m relay,” Enoh tok.
Dis dey come afta Ofili, wey be one of Nigeria brightest athletes, bin vex afta she discover say she no go fit participate for di women 100m race.
Di athlete wey be former world U20 champion wey also be African Senior Athletics champ for di 200m dey ask from di athletics bodi why dem no register her for di 100m race.
“Dem just dey tell me say I no go compete for di 100 meters for di Olympic Games. I qualify but dose wit di AFN and NOC bin fail to enta my name.” Ofili tok for her Instagram account.
Ofili, wey scata di African women150m record for di Adidas Atlanta City Games for June dis year, dey demand for answers.
“Afta I don work for four years for dis opportunity, – I no fit to participate sake of di organization wey dey responsible fail to enta my name?,” Ofili bin ask.
Di 21-year-old athlete tok say for di last Olympics, she no fit participate sake of di “AFN, National Anti-Doping Committee (NADC) and Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC) bin fail to release moni for athletes wey dey di USA for test, na so 14 athletes wey bin qualify at di time, no fit compete.”
As she dey call out di authorities, Ofili say, “If dose wey dey responsible no reply why dem take dis opportunity from me, pipo no go ever trust dem again.
“Di next competition na di 200m, I hope say dem enta my name for dat one.”
Di Minister tok say di Secretary General of AFN don also insist say di final list wey she forward to NOC get Ofili listed for di 100m as well.
“I dey in touch wit di President of di NOC on dis and await im explanation.
“Ofili na one of di top eight at di World Championships. She be Commonwealth Games silver medalist, African Games champion, former World U20 champion, and African Senior Athletics Championships champion in di 200m,” di Minister tok.
Di Minister add say im “no go tolerate dis utter recklessness”.
“E dey highly inexcusable, and thorough sanction go dey afta investigations into wia and from who dis gross negligence originate from. All parties gatz take dia duties veri seriously.
“Di current way of operating di Federal Ministry of Sports Development no go allow incompetence at any level,” di Minister add.
Enoh say AFN and NOC gatz ensure say Ofili no dey deprived of di opportunity to compete in di races wey she dey qualified and don register to represent di kontri at di Paris Olympics.
Pipo react to di tori
Many Nigerians and oda Africans don express shock and disappointment ova di mata.
Sabi pipo and oda citizens don join Ofili to demand accountability from di authorities ova dis mata.
Dem dey call out di AFN to answer di questions she raise, while odas tok say dis kain tin no go motivate oda athletes to represent dia kontri.
One ogbonge athlete Rosemary Chukwuma wey bin win bronze for di 4x100m relay for di 2018 commonwealth games and gold medal for di same relay for di 2019 Africa games, tok say “e dey shocking and disheartening say di Nigerian federation go overlook di registration of one of our top athletes – dis don scata all di hard work”.
“Dis neglect dey affect di image of we di athletes and e dey demoralize us – we deserve more support and good leadership from Nigeria,” Rosemary add.
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