‘Nigeria’s Sport System Is So Flawed’ – Blessing Okagbare Reacts To Ban Of 10 Nigerian Athletes At Tokyo Olympics

By Edna Wande On Jul 29, 2021

Nigerian athletics champion, Blessing Okagbare has reacted to the recent ban of ten Nigerian athletes due to poor testing compliance.

MDB reported earlier that 10 of Nigeria’s 20 athletes expected to participate in athletics events at the Tokyo Olympics have been declared ineligible to compete by Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) of World Athletics.

AIU said the decision was made due to a violation of Rule 15 of World Athletics’ Anti-Doping Rules.

Okagbare made her position known via her Instagram story on Thursday morning, saying;

I have said it before and I will say it again, if you do not know the sport, not passionate about it/us (the athletes), then you have no business there as an administrator. The sport system in Nigeria is so flawed and we athletes are always at the receiving end of the damages.

She accused administrators of Nigeria’s Athletics Federation of fighting over power and contracts while neglecting the athletes.

Okagbare expressed;

They are busy fighting over power, exercising their pride over puma contract/kits forgetting their major responsibility “THE ATHLETES”. It’s sad that this cycle keeps repeating itself and some people will come out to say I am arrogant for speaking my truth. It is my CAREER.