Paris Olympics: Ofili, Chukwuma may escape AFN’s hammer

4 months ago 25

. As as Nigerians await Olympics list today

Two U.S.-based Nigeria sprinters, Favour Ofili and Rosemary Chukwuma may have escaped sanction from the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) to make the final list to the Paris Olympics.

The duo of Ofili and Chukwuma threw caution to the wind at the just concluded 23rd African Senior Athletics Championships in Douala, Cameroon, by refusing to show up for the women’s 100m semifinal after competing in the heat event a day earlier.

Their action, apart from causing Nigeria some gold medals (100m and 200m), also painted a picture that the country could not control its ‘stubborn’ athletes at international events.

Some top officials of the AFN had vowed to punish the two athletes for their actions in Douala by excluding them from going to Paris.

However, there are indications that the duo of Ofili and Chukwuma may have been included in the team based on TheGuardian findings.

The decision to ‘forgive’ Ofili and Chukwuma may not be unconnected with a lead story by The Guardian, on Saturday, in which the duo were quoted to have gone on their knees appealing to Nigerians to beg the Sports Minister, John Enoh and the AFN to temper justice with mercy.

The AFN final list for the Paris Olympics is expected to be unveiled to Nigerians today.

Meanwhile, the Sports Ministry is expected to hand over Team Nigeria to the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC) later this week before the commencement of the foreign training tour in Germany ahead of Paris Olympics.