A ministerial investigative panel set up to unravel the mystery behind administrative lapses that lead to the exclusion of Athlete Favour Ofili from Women’s 100m race and Team Nigeria’s poor performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics has released its report.
The Mumuni Alao-led panel set up by the former minister of sports development and now minister of state for trade and investment, John Owan-Enoh, indicted two top officials of the Athletes Federation of Nigeria (AFN) for negligent and poor judgement or acting on information about of his own athlete.
The panel in a 54-page report featuring testimonies of the personalities involved which was made public yesterday, recommended appropriate sanctions against the two AFN officials – Secretary General Rita Mosindi and Technical Director Samuel Onikeku for their roles in Ofili missing the 100m event.
The committee also recommended that AFN should pay the Athlete Favour Ofili, a symbolic compensation of N8m ($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.
“Conclusive evidence revealed, however, that the Secretary General of the AFN, Mrs. Rita Mosindi, was NEGLIGENT in her duty of communicating to the Ministry of Sports Development and the Nigeria Olympic Committee information about Favour Ofili’s event status in a reliable and timely manner. Mrs.Mosindishould be PENALIZED by the appropriate authority.
“Conclusive evidence also revealed that the Technical Director of AFN, Mr. Samuel Onikeku demonstrated POOR JUDGEMENT by not reporting nor acting on information about the non-registration of his own athlete, Favour Ofili,for the women’s 100 meters event when he first got a “hint” of the “rumour.” Ofili’s situation might have been rescued if the Technical Director had reported or acted immediately on the information that he received. Mr. Onikeku should be SANCTIONED by the Board of AFN of which he is a member.
“The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) by vicarious implication should pay the athlete,Favour Ofili, a symbolic compensation of N8 million 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,” committee said.
The LEADERSHIP Sports reliable gathered that the investigative panel released its report following approval granted by chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko.
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