Sports
Sports Minister To Probe Favour Ofili’s Exclusion From Paris Olympics

Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, has said he will probe the exclusion of Nigerian athlete, Favour Ofili, from the 100m Women’s event at the ongoing Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
On Tuesday, the sprinter announced that she will not be competing in the 100-metre race at the ongoing Olympics in Paris due to administrative failures by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria and the Nigerian Olympic Committee.
“It is with great regret that I have just been told I will not be competing in the 100 meters at this Olympic Games. I qualified, but those with the AFN and NOC failed to enter me. I have worked for 4 years to earn this opportunity. For what?” Ofili wrote on Instagram.
Reacting in a statement on Wednesday, the minister said the “Athletic Federation of Nigeria and the Nigeria Olympic Committee must ensure that Ofili is not deprived of the opportunity to compete in the races for which she is qualified and registered to represent the country at the Paris Olympics. She is committed to proving her mettle.”
He vowed appropriate “sanctions after investigations into where and from whom this gross negligence originated.”“All parties must take their duties very seriously. The current way of operating the Federal Ministry of Sports Development does not allow for incompetence at any level,” Enoh said.
See the full statement by the minister below:
Favour Ofili, AFN, and the NOC.On July 28, 2024, as Minister of Sports Development, I visited and addressed Team Nigeria athletes at the Games Village in Paris.
It was a no holds barred session. Thereafter, I had my usual personal interaction with the athletes to allow them to express their concerns directly to me, which has been my tradition as Minister of Sports.
In addition, i have continued to encourage athletes to reach me directly on any concerns.
In hindsight, when Ofili had issues at the African Championships in Douala, I reached out to get her side of the story, and this time, it hasn’t been different. Favour Ofili reached me directly, expressing her concern for her races.
Immediately I called Professor Ken Anugweje, the lead of the Ministerial Podium Performance Committee, to ensure that Ofili’s issues are thoroughly addressed. He got back to me shortly after to say he was in touch with the 1st Vice President of NOC, Chief Solomon Ogba, and that the matter was being handled.
Upon hearing Ofili’s distress this morning, I reached out to the Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN).
The Technical Director, Samuel Onikeku, stated categorically that Favour Ofili was registered for the 100m, 200m, and the 4x100m relay.
The Secretary General of AFN has also insisted that the final list forwarded by her to NOC (the only body the International Olympic Committee receives the final list of athletes from), had Ofili listed for the 100m as well.
I am in touch with the President of the NOC on this and await his explanation.Ofili has been in the top eight at the World Championships.
She is a Commonwealth Games silver medalist, an African Games champion, a former World U20 champion, and an African Senior Athletics Championships champion in the 200m.
As Minister of Sports, I will not tolerate this utter recklessness.
It is highly inexcusable, and there will be thorough sanctions after investigations into where and from whom this gross negligence originated.
All parties must take their duties very seriously. The current way of operating the Federal Ministry of Sports Development does not allow for incompetence at any level.
As an immediate measure, the Athletic Federation of Nigeria and the Nigeria Olympic Committee must ensure that Favour Ofili is not deprived of the opportunity to compete in the races for which she is qualified and registered to represent the country at the Paris Olympics.
She is committed to proving her mettle. Senator John Owan EnohHonourable Minister of Sports Development.31/7/24
Sports
African junior champs: Nigeria Wins Gold Medals across Sprints
Her compatriots Chigozie Nwankwo and Perezide Sigah finished second and third, respectively, recording 24.01s and 24.26s, to complete an emphatic Nigerian 1-2-3.

• Ezechukwu -middle ( first) Nwankwo (second) Sigah (third)
At the packed MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta on Sunday, Miracle Ezechukwu stormed to victory in the CAA African U-18/U-20m girls’ final having won three gold medals of the championship with a personal best of 23.87s.
Her compatriots Chigozie Nwankwo and Perezide Sigah finished second and third, respectively, recording 24.01s and 24.26s, to complete an emphatic Nigerian 1-2-3.
Ezechukwu, who also clinched gold in the 100m earlier in the event, described the championships as a dream come true and expressed her gratitude to her coach and the organisers.
Moments after the U-18 triumph, Nigeria repeated the feat in the U-20 women’s 200m final as Success Oyibu led another clean sweep for the host nation when she blazed to a new personal best of 23.56s.
She was closely followed by U-20 100m champion Chioma Cynthia Nweke (23.95s) and Lucy Nwankwo (24.24s) to ensure Nigeria captured all six medals available across both female sprint categories.
Oyibu credited her performance to divine guidance and her camp’s preparation.
Earlier in the day, Nigeria won a protest regarding its U-20 men’s 4x100m relay team.
After initial claims of an exchange outside the zone, the Confederation of African Athletics ruled in Nigeria’s favour, awarding the quartet of Saliu Toyeeb, Joachim Uyovwiyoma, John Caleb and Malik Oluwatobi the gold medal, which earned Nigeria’s third consecutive title in the event.
Sports
Athletes from 31 countries arrive Nigeria for African Karate Championship
The championship will feature competitions in multiple categories, including Cadet (14–15 years), Junior (18 years), Senior, Para-karate, and Wheelchair divisions.

Athletes from 31 African countries, on Sunday, arrived in Nigeria for the 2025 African Karate Championship, scheduled to be held from July 21 to 28.
The championship will feature competitions in multiple categories, including Cadet (14–15 years), Junior (18 years), Senior, Para-karate, and Wheelchair divisions.
The President of the Karate Federation of Nigeria (KFN), Hon. Silas Agara, disclosed this in Abuja during a press briefing. He commended the Nigeria Immigration Service for facilitating a smooth visa process for the international delegations.
He noted that the participating countries have completed their registration, which closed on Wednesday night.
Agara said: “We have most of the countries on ground now. As of the closing date, 31 countries had confirmed participation.”
Sports
NPFL Holds Draw for 2025/26 Season Fixtures at AGM, July 28
President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau is expected to declare the meeting open with a number of ex-international players in attendance to add colour to the draw event.

Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season 2025/26 activities will be flagged off with an Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Abuja.
In a letter of invitation to the clubs, the NPFL Chief Operating Officer, Davidson Owumi stated that the AGM will hold on Monday, July 28 at the Abuja Continental Hotel, (the Old Abuja Sheraton Hotels) while the arrival date for all participants is Sunday, July 27.
Part of the agenda of the AGM will be the draw ceremony for the fixtures of the new season slated to start on August 22nd.
“In addition to the various reports that will be presented at the AGM, we are also going to conduct the framework for the fixtures of the new season”, Owumi told NPFL Media.
Chairman of the Board, Hon Gbenga Elegbeleye will lead the meeting with the board members and the 20 clubs that played in the last season. The four promoted clubs will be formally admitted to the NPFL just as the four relegated clubs will be attending their last meeting as part of the elite league.
President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau is expected to declare the meeting open with a number of ex-international players in attendance to add colour to the draw event.
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