The Athletics Federation Of Nigeria AFN is yet to regain it’s footing as the divided house is cracking.
The Director-General of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has written to Athletics Kenya (AK) and other African Federations, claiming that the 3rd MoC Grand Prix held on 30th and 31st March 20201 was not sanctioned by the AFN, which has led to AK claiming that Ferdinand Omanyala’s Kenyan National Record of 10.01seconds achieved at the 3rd MoC Grand Prix on 30th March 2021 would not be ratified.
In a related development a letter dated 9th April 2021, titled Dissociation from Inaugural Making of Champions (MoC) Relays in Nigeria, was also sent to several African Athletics Federations by the same DG, claiming that AFN can’t guarantee anything about the event from the technical know-how of the technical officials which was to be used, to the safety of the representatives coming to Nigeria.
The unfortunate development is affecting some athletes preparations for the forthcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic games.
Making of Champions (MoC) has been in partnership with the AFN since the 1st Edition of the MoC Grand Prix on 12th–14th June 2018, and the 2nd Edition on 15th–16th June 2019. All the results from every edition of the MoC Grand Prix, including the 3rd Edition on 30th–31st March 2021, were valid and legitimate, and it can easily be verified that all the results have long since been ratified by World Athletics.Within Nigeria, only the AFN can ratify and send results to World Athletics, which has clearly been the case with the MoC Grand Prix.
AFN has not suddenly ‘unsanctioned’ the MoC Grand Prix. Rather, there has been an ongoing dispute in Nigeria, since 2019, with regards to the leadership of AFN which is yet to be resolved.
In December 2019, the duly elected and constituted AFN Board attempted to suspend its President amidst several allegations, but the AFN President forged ahead with a ‘congress’ without the majority of the AFN Board who he unilaterally ‘counter-suspended’. It is at this ‘congress’ an attempt was made to change the AFN constitution and declare ‘autonomy’ from the Ministry of Sports. It was also at this ‘congress’ that the position of ‘DG’ was created – it did not even exist in the AFN prior to that.
The AFN Board, through its Acting President, and backed by Nigeria’s Ministry of Youth & Sport, have arranged several meets across Nigeria in 2021, to help Nigeria’s and Africa’s Athletes qualify for the Olympics (including the 3rd MoC Grand Prix), which have continued to be ratified by World Athletics.
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Though (MoC) are not privy to any such conversations, it is believed that AFN, the Sports Ministry and World Athletics are in discussions to resolve this long running issue of the recognized AFN leadership, because it is damaging the sport in Nigeria, with the Athletes suffering the consequences as the Olympics approaches.
MoC has supported Athletes and Competitions in Nigeria for the last 7 years.
Unfortunately the AFN have now been caught in the middle of a dispute affecting the growth and fortunes of athletics.Therefore stakeholders would advise all those concerned to be wary of any communication from AFN calling the legitimacy of genuine competitions into question until the disputes in Nigeria are resolved.
The World Athletics have done a lot for further clarification on all related matters.
The Athletes are urging World Athletics to step in with urgency to resolve any outstanding issues within AFN, the continued crisis in Nigeria, and the MoC Grand Prix which may affect the chances of Nigeria and other African Athletes hoping to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics and may hinder Nigeria’s participation in international events.
For instance, Nigeria currently runs the very real risk of not attending the World Relays in just over 2 weeks, the African Championships in June or even the World U20 Championships in August, if this continues.
Editor : Paul Akhagemhe