By Uzor Odigbo
The foreign-based Nigerian athletes are boycotting the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) National Trials in Kaduna, which begins on Thursday July 25, 2019.
Therefore the trials, meant for athletes’ selection for the Africa Games in Morocco and IAAF World Athletics in Doha next month, will unfortunately be dominated by home-based athletes.
Reasons:The AFN had earlier instructed foreign-based athletes through a letter to buy their tickets to the trial venue and get their refunds if they qualify for selection.
The directive didn’t find favour with the athletes who complained that previous promises remained unfulfilled and cannot risk another.
During a chat with some of them, they argued that coming to Nigeria for trials without funds guarantees would amount to taking a big risk as some of them have already qualified for both international competitions on current form.
“If AFN want us to attend the trials, they should send our tickets. Who would beat Okagbare, Oduduru or Tobi in Nigeria Trials. They are not serious, if they are serious, we would have been in Nigeria for the trials by now”
“In the past, athletes tickets are sent based on qualification time, in those days, national trials was a must for all Nigeria athletes anywhere they are around the globe, today, to pay athletes allowance is a problem, they should do their trials and leave us alone”
“We are awaiting for Sports ministry’s decision concerning our training grants this week, if nothing positive comes from them , it would be bye bye for the Africa Games”
When contacted, the athletes liaison officer in the US Gabriel Opuana said, “I cannot force any athlete to attend the trials, they have their choices to make. My assignment here is to coordinate them based on athletics activities, welfare and current form. On the area of personal choices, I can’t decide for them”
He said it’s however unfortunate that the athletes won’t be attending the National Trials which would have given it glamour as it used to be, like I said, I can’t decide for them.
The liaison officer and former hammer champion also pleaded with authorities across board to help inspire confidence in these athletes to perform, insisting that the issue of funds should be discussed and concluded early enough.
” I’m liasing with the athleres abroad and Sports authorities in Nigeria and I’ve been under heavy pressure here. Athletes have been making demands and as a liaison officer, it’s my duty to alert authorities in Nigeria about it”
The AFN trials begins July 25-27 in Kaduna.
