Nigerian athlete Favour Ofili will not compete in the women’s 100m sprint at the Paris Games after the country’s athletics federation failed to include her in the event’s list for the Olympics, the sprinter said on social media.
Favour Ofili was registered for the 200m and 4x100m relay on Wednesday, but the 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medalist said in a social media post that she was not registered for the shorter individual sprint.
“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 4 years to earn this opportunity. For what?”, wrote the 21-year-old track and field athlete on the social media.
Later she continue accusing the Nigeria Olympic Committee and Athletics Federation of Nigeria for the situation.
“Sadly, nothing has been done…. I’m yet to see or hear anyone is being punished for what the NOC and AFN did to me. Athletes shouldn’t be getting punished for things out of their control.”, wrote the athlete is her next posts.
Favour Ofili is the 2019 African Games silver medalist in the 400m. She also won silver for the 200m at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Favour Ofili was the 2021 World Under-20 Championship bronze medalist in the 200m and is the African indoor record holder in the event and holds Nigerian record (also at U20 level) over the distance with a time of 21.96 sec, making her the first Nigerian woman in history (and second African woman) to break the 22-second barrier. She also ran 10.93 sec in the 100m in April 2022, becoming the first female NCAA athlete to run sub 11s and sub 22s.