Nigerians have expressed their disappointment after Favour Ofili took to social media to announce that she only found out on Tuesday that the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) failed to enter her for the 100-metre sprint event she qualified for at the 2024 Olympic Games.

It was not the first time the AFN’s actions or inactions cost a Nigerian athlete: Tobi Amusan, the world record holder for 100 metres hurdles, once missed an earlier opportunity to break a two-decade-old African record in 2021.

On June 18, 2021, a faulty electronic timer failed to record the women’s 100-metre hurdles final at the Olympics Trials of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria event at the Yaba College of Technology in Lagos.

READ ALSO: For the Second Olympic Games in a Row, AFN, NOC Incompetence Denies Favour Ofili a Spot in Sprint Event

Amusan ran and won the race at 12.3 seconds, which would have surpassed Gloria Alozie’s 12.44 seconds record set in 1998. She would have broken Alozie’s 23-year-old African record at the event, but the electronic timer failed to display the time at the end of the race.

The electronic timer was at 0.00 seconds when the race ended; it never started.

A hand timer showed that Amusan indeed ran 12.3 seconds but the World Athletics Organisation only recognised electronic timing devices.

Amusan went on to set a new world record after finishing her race in 12.12 seconds in the semi-finals of the 100-metre hurdles event at the 2022 World Athletics Championship. She broke America’s Kendra Harrison’s record of 12.20 seconds set in July 2016. Amusan also set an African record in 60-metre hurdles in January.

READ ALSO: Tobi Amusan Breaks Another World Record, Wins Gold at Diamond League

BACK TO OFILI

Ofili explained on Tuesday that AFN was also culpable for her exclusion from an event she had prepared for in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

“Please remember, in the last Olympic Games I was not able to compete because AFN, NADC and NOC failed to release funds for athletes to be tested which made 14 Nigerian athletes that qualified to not compete,” Ofili wrote across her social media accounts on Tuesday.

If those responsible are NOT held accountable for taking this opportunity from me, neither organization can EVER be trusted in the future!Next one is the 200meters, I HOPE IM ENTERED.— Favour Ofili (@FavOfili) July 30, 2024

Ofili said that those responsible for such systemic failings must be held accountable for taking these opportunities from her and other athletes representing Nigeria.

A 20-year-old Ofili set three outstanding continental records in 2023: 150m-16.30s, 200m indoors-22.11s, and 300m indoors-35.99s.
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