The Agony of Incompetence: How the Athletics Federation of Nigeria is Killing Athletes’ Dreams

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Traipse through the internet researching keywords like “Athletics Federation of Nigeria,” “AFN Incompetence,” and one will be assaulted with the ineptitude of the Nigerian sports administration whose appalling treatment of our athletes might fill a Nazi soldier with admiration — it is that bad.

Nothing beams more light on this recurring, distasteful occurrence than the recent debacle surrounding the withdrawal of Favour Ofili from the 100 metres women’s event at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Ofili, who boasts a personal best of 10.93 seconds in the 100m and won the Nigerian national title in June with a time of 11.06 seconds, found herself unable to compete in her signature event in Paris due to the sheer negligence of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC). These organisations failed to properly submit her registration forms, robbing her of a chance to compete on the world stage she had worked tirelessly to reach.

The talented sprinter took to social media to express her frustration, stating: “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 four years to earn this opportunity. For what?” Her heartfelt plea highlights the personal toll of such administrative failures on athletes who dedicate their lives to their sport.

The AFN lamented that it did not know how the omission occurred, insisting that it registered Ofili. The Sports Minister, John Enoh, called for a probe. The probe should be comprehensive to unravel the culprits since the AFN/NOC registered Ofili for the 200m and the 4x100m races.

Rewinding back, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will forever be etched in our collective memory as a moment of national embarrassment. Nigeria’s athletic contingent, once a beacon of hope and pride, was instead marred by scandal and ineptitude. The lack of adequate kits, delayed allowances, and allegations of officials pilfering gifts meant for athletes painted a damning picture of our sports administration.

But this is not just a matter of poor administration; it’s a symptom of a deeper disease. The lack of investment in our athletes, the absence of a coherent sports development program, and the corruption that pervades our sports institutions have driven talent away.

The basketball and football teams have followed suit, turning their backs on the country due to similar reasons. And now, the D’Tigers, our erstwhile basketball heroes, have failed to qualify for the 2024 Olympics due to shoddy preparations.

This state of anomie has led to a mass exodus of athletes such as Gloria Alozie and Francis Obikwelu, two of our brightest stars, who abandoned ship for greener pastures in Spain and Portugal in the 2000s.

In the 2024 Olympics, talented athletes such as Annette Echikunwoke, Salwa Eid Naser (formerly Ebelechukwu Agbapuonwu), and Rashidat Adeleke who represented the USA, Bahrain, and Ireland respectively, should be a sobering moment for all stakeholders on the importance of prioritizing the welfare of athletes while ensuring the right infrastructure.

As it is, it is difficult to replicate Team Nigeria’s best moment at the quadrennial Games this time. At Atlanta ’96, Nigeria won six medals, including two golds in the U23 football tournament and Chioma Ajunwa’s long jump leap. Nigeria has won 27 medals since its initial participation at Helsinki ’52.

It’s time for us to confront the rot in our sports administration. We owe it to our athletes, and to ourselves, to do better. The Olympics are not just a showcase of athletic prowess; they’re a reflection of our national character. Let us strive to do better, for the sake of our athletes and our nation’s pride.