The Athletics Federation of Nigeria has said the body can’t explain how the name of the women’s 100m national champion, Favour Ofili, is missing from the women’s 100m event of the Paris Olympics Games, insisting she was registered for the 100m, 200m, and the women’s 4x100m relay.
Ofili raised the alarm on Tuesday night, accusing the Nigeria Olympic Committee and the AFN of failing to register her.
“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 me. I have worked for 4 years to earn this opportunity. For what,” Ofili lamented.
Technical Director of the AFN, Samuel Onikeku however said the body is as shocked as the athlete over the development.
“We registered Ofili for the 100m, 200m and the 4x100m relay. We don’t know how her name got missing in the 100m. This is our stand as a federation,” Onikeku said via AFN Media.
Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili denied 100m spot at Paris Olympics
However, a check on the entry list published by the World Athletics shows that Ofili will be competing in the 200m and women’s 4x100m relay.
Ofili qualified for the women’s 100m during the AFN National Trials which was held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City in June. She had a new personal best of 11.06s to secure her first national title as well.
In April, she hit the Olympics 200m mark at the Tom Jones Memorial Classic with a time of 22.33s.
The athletics event of the Paris Games will get underway on Thursday with the men’s 20m race walk.
The first round of the women’s 100m, which Ofili has cried foul play over, will begin on Friday.
