The FG Commission accuses the FSA of Ofili’s inaction at the Paris Olympics

An investigative committee set up by the Federal Government has said that the inaction of some officials of the Nigerian Athletics Federation was the reason Favor Ofili was denied registration for the women’s 100m race at the Paris Olympics.

PUNCH Online reports that Nigeria failed to win a single medal at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games held from July 26 to August 11, 2024.

Adding to the failure to secure any medals were controversies, including Ofili’s exclusion from the women’s 100m and Esa Ukpeseraya’s revelation that she had to borrow a track bike from the German team to compete.

In a report made available to journalists on Monday, the committee chairman, Mumini Alao, said the absence of Ofili’s name was due to the following organizations: the Nigerian Athletics Federation, the Nigerian Olympic Committee, World Athletics and the International Olympic Committee. .

The committee also noted that AFS Secretary General Rita Mosindi “negligently discharged her responsibility to reliably and promptly report to the Ministry of Sports Development and the Nigerian Olympic Committee information on the status of the Ofili competition.”

The committee also blamed Samuel Onikeku, AFN’s technical director, who it said showed “poor judgment” by not responding to a “hint” about Ofili not registering for the 100m, adding that the situation could have been saved if Onikeku had reported or acted on information.

The report recommended that the officials be punished by the relevant authorities and that the FSA pay Ofili the sum of N8 million for the “frustration and depression she suffered due to her inaction.”

In the case of Ese Ukpeseraiye, the committee asked the athlete to write a formal apology to the Nigerian Cycling Federation and the Nigerian contingent for the embarrassment caused by her post on X (formerly Twitter) stating that she had to borrow a track bike. .

“Cyclist Ese Ukpeseraiye must write a formal apology to the Nigerian Cycling Federation (NCF) for the embarrassment she caused to the Federation and the Nigerian contingent at the 2024 Paris Olympics due to an unauthorized post she made on social media. , X (formerly Twitter) about the bike she used in the cycling competition at the Olympics,” the post said.

The committee submitted its report to the defunct Ministry of Sports Development on October 22, a day before President Tinubu abolished the ministry, handing over its functions and responsibilities to the National Sports Commission, chaired by Shehu Dikko.