Favour Ofili Faces Olympic Entry Confusion

Paris, July 31, 2024 – Nigerian officials are investigating how sprinter Favour Ofili’s name was left off the women’s 100m entry list for the Paris 2024 Olympics. The 21-year-old was set to compete in the 100m, 200m, and the women’s 4x100m relay but was informed before Friday’s heats that she wasn’t registered for the 100m.

Ofili expressed her frustration on social media, blaming the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC). “I have worked for four years to earn this opportunity. For what?” she wrote. Both Nigerian officials and World Athletics deny responsibility. Solomon Ogba, vice president of the NOC, stated, “We are trying to get to the root of it because she qualified in our trials, and the result was sent to World Athletics.”

World Athletics confirmed Ofili was only entered in the 200m and the women’s 4x100m relay. Nigeria’s sports minister, Senator John Owan Enoh, promised a thorough investigation and sanctions for those responsible.

This isn’t Ofili’s first Olympic setback; she missed the Tokyo 2020 Games due to not meeting drug test requirements. The current administrative error has angered Nigerian sports fans, demanding accountability from their sports bodies.