Favour Ofili, one of Nigeria’s top prospects at the ongoing Paris Olympics, has voiced her frustration over her exclusion from the 100m event, MySportDab Reports.
Despite qualifying for both the 100m and 200m races, Ofili was set to represent Nigeria alongside Tima Godbless and Rosemary Chukwuma in the 100m.
However, a failure by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), and the National Anti-Doping Committee (NADC) to register her for the event has denied her the chance to compete.
Taking to social media on Tuesday night, Ofili expressed her disappointment, stating, “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?”
This isn’t the first time administrative errors have impacted Nigerian athletes. Ofili recalled a similar incident during the last Olympic Games where she and 13 other Nigerian athletes missed out due to the AFN, NADC, and NOC’s failure to release funds for necessary testing in the USA.
She lamented, “If those responsible are NOT held accountable for taking this opportunity from me, neither organization can EVER be trusted in the future!”
Ofili is now pinning her hopes on the 200m event, hoping that the responsible organizations will ensure her registration this time. She concluded her statement with a hopeful, “Next one is the 200meters, I HOPE IM ENTERED.”
The situation has sparked outrage among fans and athletes, calling for accountability and better management by Nigeria’s athletic governing bodies to prevent future occurrences.
