Hammer thrower Anette Echikunwoke who won silver for the USA at Paris 2024 Olympics, dropped the Nigerian jersey after sports ministry officials withheld a $2000 allowance meant for her and other athletes at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Echikunwoke who set the African record with a mark of 75.49m came to Nigeria for the first in 2021 and was committed to representing the country of her parents.
Unfortunately because Nigeria failed to meet up doping regulations requirements, Echikunwoke and 13 other athletes including Favour Ofili and Ruth Usoro were ejected from the Olympics held in July 2021.
But contrary to believe that it was because of that episode that made her change her mind, it was gathered that the Sports Ministry under the tenure of Sunday Dare held on to the $2000 allowance meant for each the athletes.
Athletics Federation of Nigeria president Tonobok Okowa speaking on the issue stated in chat with AFN media:
“The problem started at the last Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, when Echikunwoke and some other athletes said they were not paid their allowances by Team Nigeria. She actually wanted to represent Nigeria at the Olympics in Tokyo.
“But Nigerians should remember that the election that brought the current AFN Board into office took place in June 2021, while the Olympics Games took place the following month (July) in Tokyo.
“By the time we came on board, everything about the Tokyo Olympics had been done by the previous AFN board and the sports ministry. I don’t see any reason why some people will turn the blame on the current AFN board on why Echikunwoke is competing for Team USA here in Paris. “I want people to get a clearer picture on what transpired between the athlete and the sports ministry at Tokyo Olympics,” Okowa stated.
Echikunwoke, on her first ever outing at the Olympics threw a Season’s Best of 75.48m to grab silver for USA. She was the first woman to win a medal for the USA in the hammer throw.
