Athlete Blessing Okagbare reacts as 10 of her colleagues are disqualified from Tokyo Olympics

Nigerian sprint queen, Blessing Okagbare Ighoteguonor, has blamed officials of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, following the ban of ten of the country’s track and field athletes from taking part at the ongoing Tokyo 2020 Olympics in Japan.

The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), which runs the anti-doping program for the sport, said the athletes failed to meet the minimum testing requirements under Rule 15 of the Anti-Doping Rules for ‘Category A’ federations.

And reacting to the ban, Okagbare, in a tweet, insisted that the AFN were busy fighting for power to the extent that they forgot their major responsibility.

She added that athletes are always at the receiving end of the damages because the sport system in Nigeria is flawed.

Okagbare said, ”I have said it before and I will say it again. If you do not know the sport, not passionate about it/us [the athletes], then you have no business there as an administrator. The sport system in Nigeria is so flawed and we athletes are always at the receiving end of the damages.

“They were busy fighting over power, exercising their pride over Puma contracts/ kits forgetting their major responsibility “THE ATHLETES ”. It’s sad that this cycle keeps repeating itself and some people will come out to say I am arrogant for speaking my truth. It is my CAREER.”

Okagbare is, however, not among the ten athletes disqualified from the Tokyo Olympics.

The ten athletes disqualified from the competition include Knowledge Omovoh, Ruth Usoro, Favor Ofili, Chidi Okezie, Chioma Onyekwere, and Annette Echikunwoke, Rosemary Chukwuma, Glory Patrick, Yinka Ajayi, and Tima Godbless.

Meanwhile, the track and field competition at Tokyo 2020 begins on Friday [July 30].

Team Nigeria is yet to win any medal at the Tokyo Olympics.