Officers of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria have refused to state their positions on sprinter Favour Ofili being labelled ‘uncontrollable’ by an unnamed official of the federation over her rumoured plan to modify allegiance, The PUNCH experiences.
Ofili has been at loggerheads with the AFN and the Nigeria Olympic Committee over its failure to register her for the ladies’s 100m occasion of the Paris 2024 Olympic Video games, the place the nation returned with no medal.
Though the Minister of Sports activities Growth, John Enoh, has promised a probe into the matter, the athlete’s relationship with the federation appears to have degenerated.
When contacted concerning the place of the AFN on Ofili’s case, within the wake of the feedback of the unnamed official, the Technical Director of the AFN, Samuel Onikeku, declined feedback, tagging the difficulty controversial, whereas the president of the federation, Tonobok Okowa, didn’t reply to a number of calls and WhatsApp messages despatched to him by our correspondent.
“It’s an unnamed supply, and also you need me to remark? You must know by now I don’t dwell on controversies. If it’s a technical challenge, then I can reply, thanks,” Onikeku mentioned.
In a current report (not The PUNCH), the unnamed official alleged that Ofili had a observe document of violating the AFN’s procedures since 2022.
“Ofili is quick turning into an uncontrollable athlete for the AFN. The most important disappointment Ofili gave to Nigeria was her refusal to compete within the semifinal of the 100m on the twenty third African Senior Championships in Douala, Cameroon, in July this yr.
“Our instant response was to cease her and Rosemary Chukwuma, who additionally stayed away from her 100m semifinal occasion, from making the staff to the Paris Olympics. However the Sports activities Minister, John Owan Enoh, invited them to his resort in Douala for dialogue even with out our data. It turned troublesome for the AFN to wield the massive stick in opposition to them.”
In Ofili’s defence, her coach from Louisiana State College, Dennis Shaver, who was mentioned to have been together with her throughout a few of these intervals she reportedly violated AFN guidelines, denied the allegations of intentionally lacking the African Championships race.
“So it’s not true. Favour knowledgeable coaches after a number of begin time delays from a number of warm-ups she wouldn’t compete within the closing as a result of emotions of doable damage. That is the very fact!” Shaver acknowledged through X.
Beijing 2008 Olympics silver medallist, Blessing Okagbare, who’s presently serving an 11-year ban for doping violations, additionally wrote through X, “If and while you problem an authority for negligence and incompetence, they tag you as undisciplined, smug, and disrespectful. None of them may even show the way you disrespected them instantly. They’re at all times threatened by the reality.”