Paris 2024: Ministerial Committee Indicts AFN Officials Over Non-Registration Of Favour Ofili For 100metres Race

Favour Ofili

A Ministerial Committee appointed by former Minister for SportsSenator John Enoh has recommended sanctioning officials of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) for the shameful omission of Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili from the women’s 100 meters at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Mumini Alao, the chairman of the committee, presented his report with recommendations resulting from the committee’s probe on Monday.

The committee stated in its findings:  “Conflicting evidence” showed that the omission of Ofili’s name “is traceable to any one of the following organisations: Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), World Athletics (WA) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC)”.

Rita Mosindi, the Secretary General of the AFN, and Samuel Onikeku, the Technical Director, were recommended for sanctions due to their roles in Favour Ofili’s omission from the 100m event.

In its recommendation to the government, the panel stated of Onikeku: “The Technical Director of the federation, Samuel Onikeku, should be sanctioned by the AFN Board of which he’s a member.” Onikeku is being recommended for sanction for not reporting the “hint” and “rumours” he heard regarding Ofili’s non-registration for the 100m event, reflecting his poor judgment in the matter.

The Secretary General of the AFN, Rita Mosindi, was also recommended for sanction. The panel stated: “The Secretary General of the AFN, Rita Mosindi, should be penalized by the appropriate authority for negligence in her duties. She was unable to provide convincing evidence to our committee to support her claim that she submitted important documents relating to the registration of the athlete, Favour Ofili, in the 100m, to the NOC.”

According to the committee, Ofili’s situation could have been salvaged if Onikeku had reported or acted promptly on the information he received.

Among other key recommendations, committee recommended that the AFN compensate Ofili with N8 million for the disappointment and depression she experienced due to her omission from the event.

Nigeria recorded one of its worst performances at the Paris Olympics along with preventable controversies most significant controversy which led to public condemnation being Favour Ofili’s exclusion from the women’s 100 meters race, despite her qualifying for the event.

Ofili’s her name was omitted from Nigeria’s official entry list due to a lapse between the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC) leading to an uproar on social media.

The sprinter had announced her exclusion from the 100 meters event in Paris, following the disappointment of missing the Tokyo Olympics due to administrative errors.

“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?” She posted on Instagram just before the sprint event began at the Olympic Games.

PBAT’s Oil and Gas Reforms

PBAT's Oil and Gas Reforms 2.3

NCC

NNPC Recruitment

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*