Favour Ofili: Nigeria Star to Miss Paris 2024 Event After Costly Mistake

Favour Ofili is devastated. The Nigerian star had been expected to compete in a number of events at the Paris Olympics before an oversight saw her miss registration for the 100m race. In a social media post, she stated that the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC) failed to register her for the event despite qualifying during the trials.

With deep sorrow, Ofili said through her X account: “I have just been informed that I won’t be running in 100m race at these Games. Although I was qualified, they did not input me into it by those from either AFN or NOC. I put in four years of my life for this opportunity only to…?”

This has happened before and that’s why it has made her so sad. At Tokyo Olympics three years ago she was among other athletes who were disqualified because NOC had not released funds for mandatory testing by Athletes Integrity Unit (AIU).

She is twenty-one years old and determined to make the authorities accountable for repeat incompetence that has denied her a chance to compete in olympic games. Nonetheless, she is still nominated for the 200m and 4x100m relay events as per World Athletics entry list.

Nigeria will, however, rely on Rosemary Chukwuma (the world’s seventh fastest woman this year) and Tima Godbless to be its representatives in the 100 meter event.

Not only does Ofili’s omission from the 100m race represent a major blow for her personally but also it severely hampers Nigeria’s chances of success at Olympics in Paris in two years’ time. But Ofili’s determination and hard work over these past four years have been marred by administrative lapses, which will surely have an impact when she fails to show up.

Ofili then goes ahead with training for other races while calling for accountability and better management so that forthcoming athletes don’t experience the same pain. Her story illustrates a necessity for improved more efficient and dependable support frameworks for athletes aspiring to represent their countries globally.