9/5/2025
Nigerian athletes painfully faced the reality of not participating in the 2025 World Relays in Guangzhou, China after they were denied visas.
But they now have a reason to smile as the National Sports Commission and the Athletics Federation of Nigeria are romancing the idea of organising a relay championships where the teams can compete with other nations and pick qualification for the World Athletics Championships. This was the primary goal of the trip to China, which has now been cancelled.
“We are hosting the African U-20 Championships in Abeokuta Ogun State in July so we are looking at having a relay championships at the same time,” NSC director-general Mr. Bukola Olopade revealed.
“All is not lost for our athletes, they can still qualify for the World Championships. We are going to invite some of the countries who did not also go to China for the World Relays.”
He lamented that despite all the efforts of the NSC and the AFN the athletes still couldn’t be in Guangzhou.
“We did everything we could, the NSC was ready with funds for the team, but it was the policies of the host City Guangzhou and the inability of the World Athletics to prevail on them to relax the visa requirements that botched the trip.”
