The President of Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Tonobok Okowa, has been accused of denying athletes from northern Nigeria the opportunity to participate in some athletics events at the just concluded National Youth Games.
According to some of the team officials, the AFN president deliberately scrapped middle-distance races like the 800M and 1500M, among others, thus preventing them from winning medals.
“You can see that is a deliberate plan to sideline a number of northern middle-distance runners from participation because some people in the AFN want to clear the way for a certain state to win at all costs”.
“What becomes of our athletes in the northern region whose strength, dreams and development was cut short by some states’ overbearing attitude,” they stated.
However, Okowa who doubles as Chairman of Delta State Sports Commission has called for calm while revealing that the events would be accommodated in subsequent editions.
He said very soon he will organise a meet, which would be all inclusive to make up for the loss, “so let them calm down” he added.
