In response to the heartbreaking news of Favour Ofili’s exclusion from the 100-meter event at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has finally released a statement.
Ofili regretfully announced on social media that she will not be running in the women’s 100m event because, despite qualifying and winning the Nigerian title, the AFN and Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC) neglected to register her name.
Ofili is a possible finalist and medal contender for Nigeria after having an amazing season in which she won the most of her professional 100-meter races against some of the top sprinters in the world.
“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 my name.
“I have worked for 4 years to earn this opportunity. For what….to not be entered and compete at the Olympic Games because the responsible organization failed to enter me?
“Please remember, in the last Olympic Games I was not able to compete because AFN, NADC and NOC failed to release funds for athletes in the USA to be tested, which made 14 Nigeria 🇳🇬 athletes that qualified to not compete. Now THIS……..If those responsible are NOT held accountable for taking this opportunity from me, neither organization can EVER be trusted in the future!
In response to this, the Technical Director of the AFN Samuel Onikeku disclosed they’re not to be blamed for the incompetence.
“We registered Ofili for the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay. We don’t know how her name got missing in the 100m. This is our stand as a federation,” he said.
Ofili ran 11.06s at the Nigerian Olympic trials in Benin City to secure her place among the 56 Nigerian athletes scheduled to compete at the Paris Olympics. She has competed in more 100m races this season than the 200m and ran two wind-aided times of 10.85s and 10.78s.
