By Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili has been dealt a devastating blow to her Olympic dreams, revealing on Tuesday that she will not be able to compete in the 100-metre race at the ongoing Paris Olympics. The athlete’s exclusion stems from administrative failures by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC), sparking outrage and calls for accountability in Nigerian sports administration.
Ofili, an LSU Track and Field alumni, took to social media to express her frustration, stating, “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?”
The 21-year-old athlete’s disappointment is compounded by the fact that this is not the first time she has faced such setbacks. Ofili recalled a similar incident from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where she and 13 other Nigerian athletes were unable to compete due to administrative failures. 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……” she added.
Ofili’s frustration is palpable as she calls for accountability, stating, “If those responsible are not held accountable for taking this opportunity from me, neither organisation can ever be trusted in the future!” Despite this setback, she remains hopeful about her participation in the 200-metre event, saying, “Next one is the 200 metres. I hope I’m entered.”
The controversy surrounding Ofili’s exclusion is particularly striking given her impressive credentials. 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. Her current world rankings stand at 23 in 100m and 52 in 200m, with her highest rankings being 13 in 200m, 23 in 100m, and 37 in 400m.
Adding to the confusion, PUNCH Online reports that Ofili was initially entered for multiple events including the 100m, 200m, 400m, and 100×100 relay. However, attempts to contact officials from the AFN and NOC for clarification have been unsuccessful.
This incident highlights ongoing issues within Nigerian sports administration. Ofili was one of 10 Nigerian athletes declared ineligible for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics by the Athletics Integrity Unit due to insufficient testing in the lead-up to the games. The repetition of such administrative failures raises serious questions about the management and support of Nigerian athletes on the international stage.
