Athletics Federation of Nigeria will pay Favour Ofili a $5,000 (about N8m) compensation for omitting her name from the start list of the women’s 100m at the Paris 2024 Olympics Games.
This was contained in a report submitted by the Mumini Alao ‘Investigative Committee’ set up by former Sports Minister John Eno to unravel circumstances behind the unpleasant circumstances that rubbed off on Nigeria’s participation at the Paris Games.
One of such furore was Ofili missing the women’s 100m she was supposed to run, she cried herself to sleep, woke the next morning and raised hell on her social media handles and attracting public outcry.
This prompted the Mr. Eno to set up a panel. The committee’s finding fingered the Nigeria Olympic Commitee and Athletics Federation of Nigeria officials and recommended sanctions.
It stated that AFN secretary -general was negligent in her duty, for not reporting to the Ministry of Sports Development and the Nigeria Olympic Committee the information about Ofili’s event status in a reliable and timely manner…adding that “Mrs. Mosindi should be PENALIZED by the appropriate authority.”
Furthermore, the committee stated that the technical director of the AFN Mr. Samuel Onikeku “demonstrated POOR JUDGEMENT by not reporting nor acting on information about the non-registration of his own athlete, Mr. Onikeku should be
SANCTIONED by the Board of AFN of which he is a member.”
However, the AFN technical director said he has document to exonerate himself and the federation from all blame adding that he would respond at the appropriate time.
Finally, the committee said “The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) by vicarious implication should pay the athlete, Favour Ofili, a symbolic compensation of N8million Naira only (about $5,000 US Dollars) for the disappointment and depression that she suffered on account of her omission from the women’s 100 meters event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
“The athlete, Favour Ofili, should take an introspective look at her general ATTITUDE to improve her relationships with co-athletes and officials.”
