3 months ago
4
Olusoji Fasuba has called on Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh, to fulfil his promise to investigate Favour Ofili’s omission from the women’s 100m event of the 2024 Olympic Games and hold those responsible accountable, Sunday PUNCH reports.
Like most Nigerians, the former Nigerian and African I00m record holder has yet to overcome the shock of Nigeria failing to win a medal at the Games despite fielding 88 athletes in 12 sports.
The United Kingdom-based Olympian expressed his displeasure in a statement on his Facebook page on Saturday, decrying the incident and taking a swipe at inept and self-serving Nigerian sports administrators.
“Nigeria is a country where officials can choose not to register athletes for an event without facing any consequences. To date, no names have been released, and we are still awaiting the minister’s promised investigation into the matter,” stated Fasuba, a member of the men’s 4×100 relay team that won silver at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.
He continued, “Instead of addressing their own shortcomings as board members and administrators, the focus has been on criticising the athletes for alleged indiscipline. It is concerning that individuals with little to no experience in sports and a track record of unsuccessful administrative efforts have been appointed to lead sports yet again!!
“This situation contributes to the unfortunate reality that Nigerian athletes often win medals for other nations rather than for their country of birth or heritage. The most troubling aspect is that the youth, who represent the future of Nigeria, are continually marginalised because the current leadership refuses to acknowledge their failures.
“I hope that the minister will still honour his commitment to uncover the truth and hold those responsible accountable, rather than allowing this to become yet another unfulfilled promise.”
Despite qualifying for the women’s 100m, Ofili was not registered for the event in Paris. She only found out a couple of days before the start of the event. Both the National Olympics Committee and Athletics Federation of Nigeria refused to own up, with the minister promising to thoroughly investigate the matter and hold those responsible accountable.
“What’s the motivation behind this? What’s the trail of communication from AFN to NOC and IOC and/or World Athletics?” he queried in a statement on his X handle.
“At what point did her name drop out of the 100-meter race? Who’s responsible for this? What’s the motivation behind this? What’s the trail of communication from AFN to NOC and IOC and/or World Athletics? All these are questions that must be answered immediately after the Olympics.”
It’s been a week since the curtains were drawn on the Games, and nothing has been heard about the investigation promised by the minister, and Fasuba fears the matter could be swept under the carpet like several others.
Meanwhile, an unnamed official of the AFN tagged Ofili ‘uncontrollable’.
In a recent report (not Sunday PUNCH), the unnamed official alleged that Ofili has a track record of violating the AFN’s procedures.
“Ofili is fast becoming an uncontrollable athlete for the AFN. There are certain things we have been trying to keep away from the public concerning Ofili. At the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, United States, in 2022, Ofili refused to stay with other Nigerian athletes in our camp that had bigger athletes like Tobi Amusan, Ese Brume, and others. She moved into a hotel with her coach. We tolerated her.
“Ofili did not come to Nigeria for the AFN National Trials, where athletes were picked for the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. We tolerated her. Even at the championships in Budapest, Ofili refused to train with other Nigerian athletes to perfect their baton exchange. She insisted on taking instruction only from her American coach. Our 4x100m relay team eventually lost the ticket to the final due to poor baton exchange between Ofili and Rosemary Chukwuma. We tolerated her.
“In our national trials ahead of the African Games in Ghana, Ofili refused to show up, and she did not bother to come for the Games in Accra. We tolerated her.
“The biggest disappointment Ofili gave to Nigeria was her refusal to compete in the semifinal of the 100m at the 23rd African Senior Championships in Douala, Cameroon, in July this year.
“Our immediate reaction was to stop her and Rosemary Chukwuma, who also stayed away from her 100m semifinal event, from making the team to the Paris Olympics. But the Sports Minister, John Owan Enoh, invited them to his hotel in Douala for discussion even without our knowledge. It became difficult for the AFN to wield the big stick against them.”
English (US) ·