Africa’s fastest woman, Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor has been banned by the National Sports Commission (NSC) from representing the country in the Rio 2016 Olympic games.
The African and Commonwealth 100 and 200 metres champion refused to run the 200m race at the just concluded IAAF World Championship in Beijing, China after appearing in the warm up area before claiming injury. Not long after, she opted out of Nigeria’s team to the ongoing All Africa Games in Congo.
It was thus surprising for Nigerians when the sprinter competed in the Diamond League in Zurich, Switzerland on Thursday.
The NSC has now banned the athete from representing Nigeria at next year’s Olympic games. The Director General of the NSC, Al Hassan Yakmut in an interview with Guardian Nigeria stated that Okagbare had disrespected the nation.
“I was shocked when I saw Okagbare competing in the Diamond League in Zurich last Thursday. I was wondering if it was the same Okagbare who refused to compete for Nigeria in the 200m event at the IAAF World Championship in Beijing, China. She even opted out of Team Nigeria for the All Africa Games in Congo. Why?
“I have said it times without number that any athlete who feels too big to compete for Nigeria in the All Africa Games should not bother about the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. No athlete is bigger than Nigeria. I played volleyball for this country, so there is nothing an athlete will tell me about sports.
“Tell me what countries like Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda and South Africa is doing for their athletes that Nigeria is not doing? If there is a problem, we should sit down to iron it out, instead of rubbishing our country before the international community. We have to take a stand to save our nation from athletes who feel they are untouchable,” Yakmut explained.
