SPORTS minister John Enoh has promised to get to the bottom of the blunder which led to the omission of Team Nigeria’s Favour Ofili from the women’s 100m event of the Paris 2024 Olympics, while the Athletics Federation of Nigeria has insisted that the body was not responsible.
Ofili, 21, qualified for the Olympics 100m and 200m events, but she cried out last night that her name was not put forward for the former.
In a long X post today titled ‘Favour Ofili, AFN, and the NOC’, Enoh explained how he intends to resolve the matter, confirming that Ofili had complained directly to him.
“On July 28, 2024, as Minister of Sports Development, I visited and addressed Team Nigeria athletes at the Games Village in Paris. It was a no-holds-barred session,” the sports minister wrote.
“Thereafter, I had my usual personal interaction with the athletes to allow them to express their concerns directly to me, which has been my tradition as Minister of Sports. In addition, I have continued to encourage athletes to reach me directly on any concerns.
“In hindsight, when Ofili had issues at the African Championships in Douala, I reached out to get her side of the story, and this time, it hasn’t been different.
“Favour Ofili reached me directly, expressing her concern for her races. Immediately I called Professor Ken Anugweje, the lead of the Ministerial Podium Performance Committee, to ensure that Ofili’s issues are thoroughly addressed.
“He got back to me shortly after to say he was in touch with the 1st Vice President of NOC, Chief Solomon Ogba, and that the matter was being handled.
“Upon hearing Ofili’s distress this morning, I reached out to the Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN). The Technical Director, Samuel Onikeku, stated categorically that Favour Ofili was registered for the 100m, 200m, and the 4x100m relay.
“The Secretary General of AFN has also insisted that the final list forwarded by her to NOC (the only body the International Olympic Committee receives the final list of athletes from), had Ofili listed for the 100m as well. I am in touch with the President of the NOC on this and await his explanation.”
While highlighting Ofili’s achievements, Enoh promised to sanction whoever is found to have been responsible for the grave error, which has prevented the talented athlete from testing herself on the biggest stage against the best in the world in one of the most important Olympic races.
“Ofili has been in the top eight at the World Championships. She is a Commonwealth Games silver medalist, an African Games champion, a former World U-20 champion, and an African Senior Athletics Championships champion in the 200m,” Enoh noted.
“As Minister of Sports, I will not tolerate this utter recklessness. It is highly inexcusable, and there will be thorough sanctions after investigations into where and from whom this gross negligence originated.
“All parties must take their duties very seriously. The current way of operating the Federal Ministry of Sports Development does not allow for incompetence at any level.
“As an immediate measure, the Athletic Federation of Nigeria and the Nigeria Olympic Committee must ensure that Favour Ofili is not deprived of the opportunity to compete in the races for which she is qualified and registered to represent the country at the Paris Olympics. She is committed to proving her mettle.”
Meanwhile, the AFN has insisted that it included Ofili’s name in the 100m start list it submitted to the Nigeria Olympic Committee.
AFN Technical Director Samuel Onikeku said: “We registered Ofili for the 100 metres, 200 metres, and the 4×100 metres relay. We don’t know how her name got missing in the 100 metres. This is our stand as a federation.”
Ofili also unfortunately missed out on participating in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics three years ago as she was one of the Nigerian athletes not allowed to compete due to incomplete out-of-competition doping tests, which were supposed to have been co-ordinated by the AFN.
Ofili is currently Nigeria’s biggest women’s 100m and 200m prospect, with impressive personal bests of 10.93 seconds (100m) and 21.96 seconds (200m National Record).
She won the 200m silver medal at the last Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England in 2022.
