Funding Dispute Emerges
The AFN attributed the failure to lack of funds, noting that it could not send athletes to the relocated qualifying competition in Accra, Ghana, now scheduled for August 19–20. However, NSC officials insist that sufficient funds were already disbursed for the National Trials and questioned how those resources were managed.
A top NSC official, speaking anonymously, said it was “unacceptable” for the AFN to request more financial support without delivering results. “Anyone claiming the government hasn’t supported the federation should reveal how much AFN has received this year,” the official remarked.
Key Athletes Missing
Although AFN later named a 26-member squad for the Accra meet, notable stars including Tobi Amusan, Ezekiel Nathaniel, and Israel Okon are absent. Reports also suggest that many Nigerian athletes based in the U.S., such as Chidi Okezie and several standout collegiate runners, were in excellent form but were not mobilised for qualifying events.
According to SportsNow.ng, the men’s 4x400m team had athletes capable of surpassing Zambia’s qualifying time, while the men’s 4x100m and women’s relay squads also had the talent to compete at the required standard. Poor planning, however, meant those opportunities slipped away.
Deadline Looms
Nigeria has until August 24 to secure qualification for relay events at the Tokyo World Championships. But with many athletes having returned abroad after the Lagos trials, the window is narrowing quickly. Unless urgent steps are taken, Nigeria may miss out on the relay stage for the first time in World Championships history — a major blow for a nation with a proud sprinting tradition.