The Director-General of the National Sports Commission, Bukola Olopade, has raised the alarm on why Nigeria may not be at world relays this year.
The former Commissioner for Sport in Ogun State said this in a short write up in which he gave the reasons why this could happen if not nipped in the bud.
Olopade said he was raising the alarm early so that Nigerians know where to lay the blame for this.
He said: “Before it becomes a story and narrative start being controlled by those without the facts, I believe I owe this powerful forum the facts.”
He said the Athletics Federation of Nigeria has done all it could do and at the right time to check the anomaly that he noted could cause the absence of Nigeria at the world relays, adding that the NSC approved funds for it since February and March 2025.
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Olopade, however, said that World Athletics has failed in its responsibilities to get the host country to make visas easily available to athletes and officials.
He said the Chinese and Gwanzouh provinces, due to their hard policies against the United States of America, have failed to give visas to seven Nigerian athletes who are US based.
For athletes based in Nigeria, whose applications were put in as those based in the US, their visas have been issued.
He said the AFN has sent a petition to World Athletics asking that Nigerian athletes be given “a free pass to qualify, as this is an obvious failure from them and China”.
Olopade added: “I decided to proactively put these facts out here, as those without the facts cannot be allowed to control the narrative with lies.”
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