Athletics: Confusion as Nigeria misses out on World Relays but can still qualify for Olympics

TEAM Nigeria will not participate in the athletics World Relays starting in Silesia, Poland on Saturday as a result of internal conflict.

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria has accused the sports ministry of meddling in its affairs and making contrasting arrangements that led to the country’s failure to compete at the Olympic qualifying event.

With Nigeria yet to qualify for any relay event for the Tokyo Olympics, the World Relays was the perfect opportunity to gain spots.

However, the AFN has accused the sports ministry of applying for United States of America visas for a training tour, instead of seeking to get them Polish visas for the World Relays.

“OFFICIAL: Nigeria won’t be participating at the World Relays billed to happen in Silesia from May 1 to 2, 2021,” the AFN tweeted.

“The World Relays was supposed to serve as a major qualifiers for the Relays at the Olympics but the Ministry’s latest stunt has scuttled that.”

The AFN President Ibrahim Gusau, whose faction appears to be at loggerheads with the sports ministry, confirmed the inability of Nigeria to take part in the competition.

“The scheduled relays in Poland were meant to enable Nigeria to secure qualification for the Olympic Games in Tokyo, but to our disbelief, the athletes’ passports were diverted to the US embassy to secure visas for a training camp, for an event they are yet to qualify for,” he said in an official statement.

“How can a qualification competition in Poland, which was our best bet, be ignored for a training camp in the USA?

“This is one of the numerous reasons why sports in Nigeria should be allowed to be administered according to international best practices.”

The crisis rocking the AFN has seen the body divided into two factions, but global ruling body World Athletics waded in and encouraged the country to enter for the World Relays.

Indeed, a strong list including Blessing Okagbare was released last week, with Nigeria set to participate in five events.

The Secretary-General of the other AFN faction, Niyi Beyioku, has however assured that Nigeria can still qualify for the Tokyi Olympics relays.

“A number of athletics meets have been secured in the United States of America, while a five-nation relay meeting is also on the cards to hold in Nigeria before the window for qualification closes on
June 29, 2021,” he said in a statement.

“We did not get to officially register the team (for the World Relays) until Thursday last week and apply for entry visas at the Polish embassy. Upon our application, the Polish embassy insisted it would take two weeks to process the visa applications and all entreaties for a quick consideration were ignored.”

The relays have been sources of medals for Nigeria at the Olympics, the biggest coming at Sydney 2000 when the country’s men’s 4×400m silver was elevated to gold after the USA team had their gold withdrawn for doping offences.